What Hurts the Most
by TokuBasileia
Summary: AU: Emma Swan had just only buried what she considered her last living relative, before being forced thousands of miles away to go live with a family who never showed any interest in her until now. Now she has a mother and two sisters thrust into her life but all she can seem to think about is the beautiful brunette who seems to make everything just a little bit better. Swan Queen
1. Chapter 1

**What Hurts the Most- Foreground**

Saying Goodbye is the hardest thing you'll ever have to do,

 _The only thing in life that guaranteed is death. The whole circle of life B.S that they shove down your throat in ninth grade living environment. In the military death is to be expected, you physically prepare yourself every time you leave for the possibility of returning home in a wooden box. Sometimes it's not even the war that kills you, its after you come home. The PTSD, the flashbacks and mostly the anger. It all mounts up and somehow you feel backed into a corner. You don't want to look weak by asking for help, so instead you cling tight to your service piece. The memories of torn bodies parts of fallen brothers and sister rips through your mind like a child tearing through Christmas wrap. You remember miscellaneous things from your childhood but the one thing that sticks out to you is that over hand knot you learned in Cub Scouts. You remember how under significant pressure it just_ **snapped.**

Emma didn't flinch when the shots rang out, she had been to several of these funerals already as she mentally counted down the shots in her head. **One. Two. Three.** It was the typical three volley salute, in honor of Johnathan Swan. She scoffed wetly at the though of him being buried with the honor of the salute to begin with. He took his own life and tried to drag her down with him. He left her alone because he couldn't succeed with killing her in an attempted murder-suicide. He flinched, that's what they told her. The dull throbbing at the left side of her temple was a testament to that. The bandaged itched like hell but she was determined to ignore it.

She was angry at her father for being weak but she was even more angry at the people sitting here right now that did nothing to help the man they 'loved and respected'. She blamed them solely for her father's death and nothing nobody could say would ever change that. In four hours she was expected to hop on a plane from Minnesota to head to New York City to go live with a family she hadn't seen in over fourteen years. They expected her to just leave the place she just put her father to rest and she had to because a woman named Ingrid Midas was now her legal guardian.

 **AN: This is a re-write of a previous story of mine called Thief.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter One- What Hurts the Most.**

She didn't have much of anything to pack, her father had raised her to be accustomed to moving at a moments notice which meant they never had the opportunity to be materialistic. She had enough clothes to keep her from wearing the same thing for over two weeks, three pairs of shoes and a pair of boots, her cell phone and a red leather jacket that he had gotten her three weeks ago for her sixteenth birthday. She stuffed her father's journey and dog tags down into the bottom of her duffle bag before walking out the door to meet her temporary social worker.

"Do you have everything? You can't just hop on a plane once you realize you left something behind." Miranda warned the petite blonde. The woman was fairly young, still in her late twenties with soft brown hair and a oval shaped face. She had a slim waist with curvaceous hips nut that was the only thing appealing about her. Emma found her voice annoying, like grating chalk on a board. Hearing it too long would make her skin crawl in discomfort.

"I have everything I want right here, I don't need any of this stuff." Emma gestured around the small home that she had lived in for six months, it was the longest time they had staid anywhere. Maybe that was another reason her father- No, there were too many reasons and factors that went into it to pinpoint the exact cause of any of this mess.

"Are you certain you want to part with this home? It belongs to you, maybe you liked to come back one day." Miranda asked picking up her car keys before walking towards the front door.

"My father came into my room six nights ago and pressed a gun to my head. He looked me in the eye before he shot me. Then he walked outside and offed himself in our garage. So no, I don't want to come back here. This place can rot into a dump for all I care." Emma replied coldly before slinging her bag over her shoulder. They road in silence to the airport, Miranda had chosen to fly with her under the guise of making sure she made it to her biological mother's house safely but Emma knew she just wanted to get out of the Hick town they were stuck in.

 **Three Hours Later:**

She had zoned out Miranda's incessant babbling about how much she would love the city compared to the small town she was leaving behind, and she fought the urge to tell the woman to just shut the hell up. It was only when she was being briefed on the people she was supposed to be staying with that Miranda stopped to ask her verbal in put.

"So you have two older sister's; Katheryn who is twenty-three and Elsa who is nineteen. Your mother Ingrid is married to a Phoebus Nikolai and it says here they have two dogs." Miranda informed her.

"Those are just names on a piece of paper, they aren't my family." Emma said looking out the window as everybody was getting off the plane.

"Emmalyn I know you're going through a difficult time but you should really open up yourself to being happy here. Your mother was ecstatic about seeing you again." Miranda spoke softly

"I don't remember this woman, nothing about her rings any bells. Hell I didn't even know her name until all of this. I never got a birthday card or a letter. She's just a woman who brought me into this world via her vagina." Emma deadpanned.

"I'm sure she has her reasons, its something you can ask her about eventually." The woman shrugged her eyes were looking around in awe as they stepped inside of the airport. Immediately she grabbed the teen by the elbow leading her over to a smartly dressed man holding her last name on a card.

"Ms. Swan I presume?" He tilted his head towards her.

"That's me." Emma exhaled deeply, while at the same time yanking herself free of the overbearing woman.

"Your mother thought it'd be best if I picked you up today. I shall take you to the estate." The man made a grab for her bag but she skillful dodge the attempt.

"I got it." She cleared her throat, watching him nod once more before leading her out. He walked over to a Mercedes Benz and Emma frowned when she realized it was a 2015 model.

"How much cash are these people sitting on?" Emma asked Miranda uncomfortably.

"Ingrid Midas inherited her fathers company back in 2009, Midas gold trade is well into the hundred billions with most of its revenue coming from overseas." Miranda's smile brightened and Emma briefly wished they would trade places because it was obvious how bad the woman wanted to be apart of this family for.

"Who would have thunk? I'm related to Daddy Warbucks." Emma muttered sarcastically watching Miranda frown briefly before the grin was firmly in place.

"It was nice of her to have someone come pick us up, I wouldn't have known how to take a subway." Miranda grinned

"Normal people pick their family members up from the airport." Emma pointed out.

"You know you don't have to be such a pessimist about everything." Miranda huffed. Emma just looked at her for several moments, willing herself to feel guilty but it never came. All she felt was numb and a bit of resentment.

"Excuse me for not being a bleeding rainbow but I just buried my father today! The man who raised me! Only to have to come six states over to live with people who don't give a damn about me." Emma hissed, her body coiled tight as if she was preparing for an attack. She watched Miranda swallow but thankfully the woman didn't say anything else until they pulled into the driveway.

The driveway was a long strip that allowed the occupants the privacy that most people craved. It was cobblestone which surprised Emma, seeing as it didn't seem very gaudy. It almost made it feel more welcoming. The house was massive but it looked old, almost like a plantation style that had been refurbished to fit the modern needs of today's society.

"It isn't what I expected." Miranda admitted stepping out when the driver opened the door. He tried to hurry around to Emma's side but the blonde had beat him to the punch.

"Mrs. Midas and Mr. Nikolai should be in the den, I shall fetch them for you." The driver bowed his head again as Emma shuffled on her feet at the door. Her father had taught her that she wasn't to enter someone's home unless being invited in first. It seemed like someone forgot to teach that lesson to Miranda who just walked in behind him.

"Are you coming in?" Miranda asked concerned.

"I'll wait to be invited in, it's the polite thing to do." Emma droned looking around the expanse to the property. There was a large porch swing and a patio table set, from the looks of it the porch wrapped around the whole house.

"There she is!" A blond haired older man came to view, along with a very regal woman. She could see the similarities between her and the woman, except she inherited her father's eyes and chin.

"It's nice to meet you sir." Emma held out her hand politely while standing rim-rod straight. He looked taken aback by the title and the hand but he shook it none the less.

"You can call me Phoebus if you like. This is your mother Ingrid." Phoebus introduced her, with his hand on his wife's lower back for moral support.

"Good evening Ingrid." Emma thought about holding out her hand but deciding against it, in favor of a slight bow at the waist. Ingrid seemed to be judging her ever step, not coldly or calculating, instead it seemed like she was trying to study the girl.

"You have your father's manners." Ingrid smiled slightly but it seemed pained. Emma licked her lips, biting back a seething remark about not wanting the woman to speak about the man.

"Thank you." Emma replied through gritted teeth.

"So why are we still standing out here?" Phoebus asked rocking back and forth on his heels. He was wearing a pair of muddy riding boots, and Emma cringed thinking about the dirt he no doubt tracked through the house.

"We were waiting to be invited in." Emma replied, her green eyes studying the man before her. He seemed to lack the simplest manners and the basic knowledge of etiquette but she remember her father said that Ingrid had an affair with a stable boy. It would explain the boots also...

"You don't have to be invited in, you live here!" The man gave her a dimpled cheek smile.

"Technically I've never stepped foot into your home, sir. I would consider myself a guest." Emma responded with a straight face.

"Why don't you come on in, we have some people we would like you to meet." Ingrid said softly, giving Emma some personal space unlike everyone else. She led Emma into the house and straight up the hall until they reached a massive entertaining area.

"You have a lovely home, Ma'am" Emma said, remembering what Johnathan said about complementing your host. Everything her father taught her, stuck to her like sticky rice on a sushi roll.

"Thank you. It has been in the family for over six generations. I'd like to think it has some character." Ingrid said in her soft voice. When she stepped into the room she noticed three blonde's, two brunettes and a red head. Feeling uncomfortable with how many people were staring at her expectantly she waved to the room.

"It's nice to meet you all." Emma spoke after she cleared her throat.

"Shit Kath, she looks like you!" The redhead blurted out and Emma's eyes trailed a blushing blonde she was assuming was Katheryn.

"Why don't we start with introductions?" Phoebus clapped his hands.

"That's Kathryn, she is your oldest sister. That's Elsa, she's your other sister. The redhead is Zelena, her and Kathryn have been best friends since the second grade so she practically family. That's her younger sister Regina and Regina's girlfriend Tink. Then there's my son August." Phoebus introduced everyone, as Emma committed their faces and names to memory. The one that stood out the most was Regina a beautiful brunette with soulful brown eyes. Too bad she was already spoken for, because the one thing her father stressed was never come between a relationship and never cheat on your lover.

"Hello, I'm Emma." She introduced herself, fighting the urge to fidget on spot.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Two- What Hurts the Most**

 **I can take the rain on the roof of this empty house,**

" _Hello, I'm Emma"_

"Just Emma? That's very Madonna of you." Emma's eyes snapped back to the beautiful brunette she had been eyeing just moments ago. It was the teasing smirk on the girls face that calmed the angry in Emma from the loose comment.

"Swan, Emma Swan." Emma studied the girl named Regina, watching her lips quirk slightly.

"Ahh now we're on to 007?" She raised an eyebrow, in an expression that Emma found all too cute.

"No I was never one for a man who drinks Martini's." Emma joked before turning slightly in her Doc Martins.

"Well how about you tell us a bit about yourself Emma? My name is Phoebus, and I work with horses down at the stables. My father bred some of the best racers out there!" Phoebus offered her a grin.

"Yes Mr. Nikolai, I was informed of your infatuation." Emma ran her tongue over her teeth as everyone else watched the interaction awkwardly.

"Yes, well it has turned into a bit of a family thing around here. Elsa is one of the best riders I have ever seen, Katie takes care of them when she finds the time, and August is taking after his grandfather. He wants to breed some fast cats. Maybe you'll like it too." He said.

"Not likely sir, it isn't exactly my cup of tea." Emma tried to be polite but the man kept pushing it.

"Oh nonsense, their isn't a Midas or a Nikolai that doesn't appreciate the beauty in the beast." He dismissed

"Yes well, as I said before I'm Emma _Swan._ So I don't think I'll be appreciating it any time in the near future." Emma bit out.

"Emma may I speak to you in the hall?" Miranda asked testily.

"I believe you mean the foyer, there is in fact a difference. Especially in such a lovely abode as the one we are currently in." Emma replied sarcastically but walked out never the less.

"Look kid, I don't know what your playing at but whatever it is...stop! It isn't going to benefit you to piss off these people, they are the only family you've got." Miranda hissed.

"I buried the only family I had, Miranda." Emma replied looking away. She could feel the back of her eyes stinging when she realized she couldn't call her father to just come pick her up. Even if she called his phone, Johnathan would never be able to answer it again.

She wished he had just died in the war, instead of coming back in pieces and half of the man he used to be. She wouldn't have been able to see how tortured his soul was, how lost and alone he seemed to be. He never wanted to talk to her or anybody about the things that he seen or did overseas. Suddenly the weight of the journal in her bag was weighing her down. It seemed to hold all of the answers she needed but she also knew she wasn't going to like most of what was written regardless.

"No you didn't, you have family in there right now if you'd just let them in." Miranda shot back.

"Is there a problem out here?" Ingrid asked, icy blue eyes looking from Emma to Miranda.

"Ms. Wilford was just informing me that she has somewhere else to be right now. She thanks you dearly for your hospitality." Emma's tone was obviously mocking the brunette in front of her.

"Actually-" Miranda went to protest but Ingrid started to speak.

"Well dear, I'm sure William will be happy to escort you to wherever it is you need to be going." Ingrid locked her jaw as she gave the woman a fake smile.

"Is everything okay?" Katheryn walked out, and Emma backed up a step not wanting to be too close to the women.

"Everything is fine, dear. Why don't you show Emma to where she'll be staying." Ingrid gave Katheryn a genuine smile, before it fell once more.

"Of course, if you'll follow me." Katheryn gestured to the stairs, as Emma reluctantly followed her.

"You don't want to be here do you?" Katheryn asked, as they rounded the corner. Emma looked at her expectantly until the older blonde looked away.

"It's okay if you don't. I don't know the whole story, just that your father passed." Katheryn started the ramble.

"By blood he was your father also, and Elsa's. I was just the one who he raised." Emma said dryly.

"I still remember him, he never came back physically but he would write me and Elsa. Send us postcards and pictures of the places he had been...Did he ever talk about us?" Katherine's question was timid, and Emma found herself feeling bad for the girl.

"When I was younger, yes. All the time, I had to compete for his attention with two girls who weren't even there. After he enlisted he stopped talking about that stuff completely, he just packed it all into a box and never said anything about it in general unless I asked first." Emma admitted.

"It must have been hard, him raising you alone. Growing up without a mother or anything." Katheryn looked around the room before walking in.

"We made do, he did everything for me that a mother could do. I never went without." Emma replied, setting her duffle bag on the floor in the corner. The bed was a canopy style, with a balcony right across from it. There was a plush white rug, and a ruffled silky white bed set. The furniture was cherry and it reminded Emma of a hotel her father and her had stayed in when they took a vacation to Hawaii.

"So um, I'll let you get settled in. Mom and Dad said you'd probably need sometime to decompress from your flight and everything." Katheryn shuffled nervously, as Emma stuffed her hands in her pockets.

"Tell your parents I thank them for their hospitality." Emma nodded and Kathryn took that as her dismissal.

"I'll leave you to it." Katheryn nodded back before heading towards the door, before turning back to Emma.

"For the record, I'm glad you're here." She smiled before ducking out closing the door behind her.

Emma sat on the corner of the bed, feeling the tears gush from behind her eyes as she struggled to stay calm. She was never good in new places, normally her and her father would stay up the first night at a new place, watch movies and eat a whole lot of junk food. He wasn't here this time to sooth her anxieties.

"Oh Papa, why'd you have to go and leave me all alone." Emma sniffed, her hands become wet with her tears as she unsuccessfully tried to bat away the salty liquid.

* * *

She had been hiding in her appointed corridor for well over two hours and she dreaded the knock that was due any moment. The room as Emma had discovered it, was completely bare except for the furniture of course and a spare set of sheets. It was void of dust, almost as if it had just been cleaned and the balcony had two chairs and a small table placed on it. She briefly wondered if this was the appointed Guest bedroom and if so how many guests before her had slept in that same bed with those same sheets. A soft banging sounded from the door pane had Emma whipping around to see a stone faced Elsa.

"They wanted me to come tell you dinner is ready." Elsa seemed miffed but it wasn't Emma place to comment on it.

"Of course, I shall be right down." Emma nodded, heading into the en-suite bathroom to wash up.

"I'm to escort you down, _Princess._ " Elsa practically sneered, and for some reason it had Emma smiling.

"I am to assume that you have an issue with me, yes? Go on then, spit it out." Emma encouraged as she dried her hands.

"For years I've watched MY mother's heart break because of what that man did, and then you waltz in here today like you own the place! You don't care about her or her feelings!" Elsa hissed.

"I sense that isn't your real issue but okay. You're right I don't care about her or her feelings. Just like I don't give a damn about your opinion." Emma smirked, watching Elsa's fingers twitch. At least she could see herself being related to this one.

"Why the hell are you here? We were fine for fourteen years without you, we'll be fine now." Before Elsa could stop herself, she had pushed Emma but the blonde barely moved.

"Are you done?" Emma frowned at her, like one would a child. Elsa was positively steaming at the familiar smirk that pulled at the corner of Emma's lips. The girl looked so much like Katheryn it was scary.

"For now." Elsa gritted out.

"Good, now let's just make one thing clear. If you ever at any chance find yourself wanting to put your hands on my person with the intent to harm me, I will try to kill you." Emma straightened her spine as she spoke, so the older girl would know she was serious.

"Hey what's going on in here? Some sibling bonding already?" Zelena came in with Regina and Tink lagging behind.

"You could say that." Emma flashed Zelena a mischievous smile, that had the redhead beauty squirming for a moment.

"So where you from New Girl?" Tink asked in a joking tone.

"My name is Emma, in case any of you get really big on pet names." Emma's fake smile was bright but her tone was cold as she looked at Elsa.

"Damn, you got as much ice in you as the Ice Queen downstairs. Granted you look like Kat, but I can tell your attitude is all Ingrid."Tink said popping her gum, watching as Regina and Zelena nodded their heads in agreement.

"Yes well, genes and all. Sometimes nature wins out nurture." The smile was starting to hurt Emma's cheeks.

"You don't have to do that with us." Regina spoke up as Emma turned to look at her with a raised eyebrow, silently asking her to elaborate.

"You don't have to be fake smiles, polite attitude all the time. We know it isn't you." Regina explained

"With all due respect, you don't know me and I don't know you." The smile was completely gone, and in its place was the most tired expression Regina had ever seen.

"Yes well, we are all willing to try to get know one another. We can't do that if your being a fake bitch." Regina shrugged as everyone else gasped. Tink hit Regina on the shoulder.

"You'll have to excuse my girlfriend, she is a bit blunt." Tink glared slightly at Regina. The brunette however was in an eye battle with the blonde she had spoken to, her eyes twinkling in challenge.

"Yes well they say honesty is the best policy. It tends to take a bitch, to recognize another. Wouldn't you say?" Emma smirked looking at Regina, watching the brunette blush slightly

"That it does." Regina's voice came out lower then she wanted it to, as she finally broke her gaze away from Emma.

"Well not that this isn't nice and all, but I am starved." Zelena filled the now awkward silence as Emma chuckled. The blonde's eyes trailed to Regina's older sister watching the redhead track her movements.

"How old are you?" Emma teasingly asked Zelena who smirked as the blonde eyed her up and down.

"Twenty-three dear, far too old for you." Zelena replied watching Emma grin.

"Bummer." The blonde said but everyone could tell she wasn't too broken up about it.

"So you are CBD?" Regina smiled brightly before holding out her hand.

"No way, she didn't admit to that!" Tink protested.

"CBD?" Emma raised an eyebrow.

"Chicks before Dicks." Zelena informed her.

"I'm impartial, I like what I like. Whether its a pole or a hole." Emma shrugged.

"So you're bi? Does that fall into the category?" Regina asked Tink.

"It falls into mine, so pay up bitches!" Zelena grinned holding out her hand.

"Did you guys really make a bet on my sexual orientation?" Emma crossed her arms looking at everyone blush.

"I want half of that, sweet cheeks." Emma pointed to the money that Zelena had been collecting. She watched something in Regina's eyes flash at the nickname as she shifted uncomfortably but Emma shrugged. The brunette had a girlfriend, which meant she could flirt with her sister all she wanted. It wasn't like anything was going to happen.

"You guys were supposed to be getting her for dinner not holding us up. " Katheryn spoke from the door way, her arms crossed as she unknowingly mirrored Emma's previous stance.

"God, you two could be twins." Elsa scoffed before walking out.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four: What Hurts the Most**

 **That don't bother me,**

Dinner was an awkward affair as Phoebus and some of the other young adults tried to fill the silence. Emma and Ingrid simply pushed their food around on their plates, while eyeing each other. Elsa and Regina were also silent, the only sound coming from their silverware hitting the porcelain plates.

"So Emma, what is it that you do for fun?" Tink asked the blonde who was currently looking at her girlfriend in a way that made her uncomfortable.

"For fun? I don't know, I guess I like to run or whatever." Emma answered, while slicing all pf the red baby potatoes into very small pieces.

"Oh so did you do track or something back in Hopkins?" Kathryn volleyed off the conversation.

"No. We were only in Hopkins for around six months. To play school sports you have to live there for twelve. I ran with some of the other kids and my dads brothers on base." Emma shoveled a bit of green beans into her mouth, slowly concentrating on chewing her food.

"I thought Johnathan was an only child." Elsa pipped up, still glaring at Emma daring her to challenge what she had just said.

"Biologically yes. However in the military, everything is like a family. You fight alongside your brothers and sisters in arms." Emma replied, looking carefully at the older girl sitting across from her.

"Then why did you say you buried your only family then? If you were all so tight?" Elsa questioned, watching her younger sister clench the knife in her hand before she cleared her throat.

"I have my reasons. Is there anything else you would like to ask me? Any of you?" Emma gritted her teeth, looking at everyone waiting for the questions to come.

* * *

"No? Well then, Mrs. Midas may I be excused?" Emma huffed out turning to her biological mother, watching the older woman nod before she threw her napkin on her plate and rushed out.

"She didn't even eat anything, but a bite of green beans." Kathryn pointed out, as everyone else sat in silence.

"Well that's her own damn problem." Elsa muttered while pushing her food around.

"What is your problem?" Zelena frowned turning towards Elsa.

"Lena don't-" Regina tried to defuse the situation when she seen her sisters rigid posture.

"No Lena do." Ingrid encouraged wondering exactly what Elsa's problem was.

"I don't have a fucking problem." Elsa bit out.

"Oh please! Come off it, we both know what you said to the girl upstairs. So I want to know exactly what your damn problem is!" Zelena hissed out.

"Why were you eavesdropping on my conversation?" Elsa's tone was indignant.

"Why were you eavesdropping on Emma's conversation with Miranda?" Ingrid asked crossing her arms, knowing her daughter was feeling cornered and would finally admit why she was being bitchy for almost a week since finding out Emma was coming to live with them.

"I wasn't! I mean, I didn't mean to!" Elsa huffed before crossing her arms just like her mother.

"Pumpkin, what's wrong with you?" Phoebus asked the teen.

"Why the hell is she here?! Couldn't she just stay in her hick town? We were fine without either of them in our lives!" Elsa blurted out, hearing several gasps from around the table.

"Young lady we don't-" Phoebus started but was cut off by Ingrid's icy voice.

"I was waiting for the right moment to tell you this, because I knew you were going to be just as hurt but in a different way as Emmalyn. However I didn't know you would proceed to act like a child and assume things without coming to me first. Jonathan passed away, and that is why your sister s back living with us. I fully expect for you to drop this entitled attitude Elsa, and I expect you to apologize to your sister." Ingrid spoke firmly to her child.

"We all knew that Jonathan passed away, that's not news." Elsa scoffed.

"Oh really? Do you know _how_ he passed away?" Emma hissed from the doorway, as everyone turned to look at her.

"Emmalyn-" Ingrid shot up from the table but Emma just glared at her.

"Did you know he was a gun collector? Or that he suffered from PTSD?" Emma rounded the table, walking back over towards her plate.

"The flashbacks were a bitch, sometimes he would wake up screaming or crying. Can you imagine that? The strongest person you knew, your hero...reduced to tears and pills that he refused to take. Imagine having to walk slowly up to your father and having to announce your presence with enough space to run because somethings he would see you as the enemy. The one thing in his way of going home alive. The first time, he snapped my wrist in two places. I learned quickly to not sneak up behind him. It wasn't his fault though, it wasn't. That war _**broke**_ him. He couldn't hold on anymore." Emma spat to Elsa who was now red in the face from embarrassment.

"Emmalyn-" Ingrid tried again.

"Oh shut the fuck up! I haven't been called that since I was five. Where the hell were you when my father put his service piece to my fucking head, and pulled the trigger? Were you there when I was too scared to move that I freaking soiled myself? Where were you when I found him slumped in my garage , his brains spilled on the pavement? Do you know what he had in his hand, hmm?" Emma asked looking around at the tear stained faces around her.

"It was a picture of you! All of you, it was a family picture from when I was too young to even remember. That's what he held onto after he killed himself. This fucked up family." Emma heaved out, before she snatched her phone up from the table.

"I forgot my phone." Emma shrugged before walking out the room.

"Ingrid..." Phoebus spoke slowly, watching his wife sway on her feet as she tried not to sob.

"He-He shot her? She's just a baby...He was going to kill her and himself?" Ingrid gasped.

"Mom, you need to sit down." Kathryn said softly.

"He shot my baby. He took her from me all those years ago, and he was going to take her again." Ingrid mumbled, as she sunk into her chair.

"Kathryn honey, why don't you go get your mother a glass of wine. Red, please." Phoebus frowned looking at his normally strong wife.

"Papa I didn't know." Elsa sniffled.

"I know Pumpkin, but that doesn't make it right. You knew she had just gone through loosing her father yet you still tried to make it difficult for her. Now that you know, I think it's best if you'd apologize." He offered the girl a small smile while he tried to comfort his love.

* * *

"Hey, how you feeling?" Regina asked, slipping into the blonde's room. Emma simply looked at her before looking back down towards her phone.

"That was some heavy shit that you just pipe bombed on everyone. Do you want to talk about it?" Regina cleared her throat before speaking.

"Let's say I did, why would it be you that I'd want to talk to?" Emma cocked an eyebrow before setting down her phone.

"Because I'm not going to be the one to bullshit you. What happened sucked, and nothing nobody can say will ever change what happened. But if you're willing to talk, I'm here to listen." Regina shrugged.

"I'm not really in the mood." Emma drawled out

"Understandably so. What else do you do for fun, besides running?" Regina made herself comfortable on the bed beside her.

"Where's your girlfriend?" Emma asked a little harsher than she intended to.

"I don't see what relevance that has with my question." Regina regarded her in a cold tone.

"I'm sure you wouldn't. However I don't think its appropriate for you to be sitting here right now. You're spoken for." Emma informed her, scooting over slightly.

"Tink isn't jealous like that. Plus you're our friend." Regina shrugged before closing the distance once more.

"No, I'm not. We just met." Emma denied.

"Still I want to be your friend." Regina shrugged again. She was shocked when Emma swung one of her legs around and straddled her lap in a single breath. Their crotches were aligned as Emma leaned into husk into the brunette's ear.

"Is that all you want?" She asked, listening to Regina's breath hitch.


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: I'm sorry about the lack of updates but I've been suffering from some wisdom tooth complications blah blah blah, doped up on medicine. Anything that has been posted in the last three weeks was already written but I'm trying to get back on track. Thanks for sticking around.**

" _Is that all you want?" She listened to Regina's breath hitch._

Her palms her sweating profusely as Regina's hands sought purchase on her hips, gripping her firmly. The brunette leaned up to speak into her ear, as Emma stopped breathing for a moment.

"I don't know what the fuck it is you're trying to prove, but don't ever try any shit like this again." Regina hissed out, throwing Emma from her lap. She watched a smirk appear on the blonde's face, as her tongue darted out to lick pale pink lips.

"Good answer." Emma acknowledged before picking her phone back up and scrolling through her contacts.

"Why do I feel like that was some sort of test?" Regina asked dryly, as she straighten out her clothes and tried to calm her racing heart and libido. She didn't want to admit it, but the way the blonde felt straddling her lap had dampened her panties as she thought of a similar situation, minus clothes. Cursing the thoughts from her brain, she was with Tink and had been for a while now. Still it was a known fact that she had an infatuation with blondes.

"Because it was." Emma replied, not looking up from whomever she was texting.

"Well Ms. Swan, did I pass?" Regina questioned, crossing her arms .

"Unfortunately" Emma blurted out, her cheeks stained red when she realized she had spoken out loud. She chanced looking up at Regina, and found her staring at her amusingly.

"I just realized what you did. Nice way to change the subject." Regina noted, watching Emma roll her eyes.

"I honestly don't know what the hell you want from me!" Emma spoke exasperatedly.

"That's the thing. I don't want anything from you. Hell neither does Kat or your mother. We just want to be here for you." Regina responded.

"They should have been here for me fourteen years ago, I think I'm a little to old to be trying to fit into this family. And you? Why would you want to be there for me, you don't even know me!" Emma snapped, her fist clenched around her phone.

"I don't know you, but I've listened since I was a little girl to your mother sobbing about you! Or Kat. I guess I'm trying to help them via you. They don't know how to deal with things like this." Regina explained

"Let me guess, you do? "Emma asked sarcastically.

"I've been studying psychology sociology since I was thirteen. I know a little something" Regina replied, not taking offense to Emma's tone.

"At thirteen, my father had taught me how to disassemble every gun and rifle in the U.S Army., The year before he taught me gorilla warfare but let's just say me and nature aren't best buds." Emma smiled briefly at the memory.

"Did he ever tell you about your mother or sisters?" Regina wondered.

"Not at first, I think he was going to lie to me at first but then the paper work came to the house. I had to be like six and I didn't know what half of the words even meant. I kept it until I was like eleven, then I burned it after he deployed for like the third time." Emma swallowed.

"What papers?" Regina furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.

"My mother signed away her rights to me. The way my dad explained it was that he set up a P.O box in Tallahassee to get all his mail, and once a month his friend would forward them to whatever our current address was." Emma shrugged as if it wasn't significant enough.

"Why Tallahassee?" Regina asked softly.

"It was where they met. In a way I guess it was like his middle fingers up to her." Emma smirked.

"So he set up a P.O box in the place that they met, and she had to send paperwork that terminated her rights to the same place? Daddy didn't play." Regina nodded in appreciation.

"He used to be so angry at her, at me too I guess by proxy. I remember a couple of times he would just look at me for almost a half an hour then he'd tell me how much I looked like her. He would spend the next three days drinking himself blind." Emma shook her head loosing herself in a memory.

 _ **Flashback:**_

 _Stability was something hard for Emmalyn Alissa Swan to describe, by six she had lived in over ten different states. She had been in over three different 'new' kindergarten classes, and now as she sat in her first grade class she realized her home life was much different than all of the other children in her class. She didn't have a Mama or brothers and sisters, well she did but they didn't live with her. Her Papa didn't like talking about the Mama she couldn't remember, but he would always go on and on about Katie and Elsa. How they were so sweet and the perfect little girls._

 _She lived with her Papa sometimes, but right now she was living with his friend while he was away. He was busy training to go overseas, and would be leaving her for months on end with his friend Nakoma. Nakoma was nice enough, the lady made her mac and cheese and let her watch movies for longer than her Papa did. Right now though, she was fidgeting in her seat knowing that her turn to share was coming up next._

" _Okay next is Emmalyn. Tell us about your family, honey." Mrs. Mulberry smiled at her gently._

" _It's just me and my Papa, that's all." Emma responded softly._

" _What about your Mama? Everybody has a Mama." A girl named Hannah shook her head at Emma's answer._

" _I don't gots a Mama." Emma denied._

" _What weirdo doesn't have a Mama? Did you kill her or something?" Hannah mocked her, watching Emma's face turn red._

" _Hannah Lentsworth! Time out corner, now!" Mrs. Mulberry interjected but the damage was already done. She had sat at her desk for the next two hours without speaking to anybody, until the bell rang._

 _ **JONATHAN'S POV**_

 _He was waiting to see his little girl burst through those candy red painted doors, having not seen the child in over three weeks he was anxious to lay his eyes on her. However he hadn't expected her to walk so sullenly out of her school, while other children ran screaming with joy. Picking up his sand colored backpack, he looked down at his uniform as several other children gawked at him._

" _Mama look its a solider!" a little girl squealed._

" _I see that Hannah, and what do we do when we see a soldier?" Her mother offered him a sweet smile before looking down at her daughter._

" _Thank you for protecting us!" The little girl saluted him as he bent down to high five her._

" _Papa don't, she's a mean nasty girl!" Emma ran up to him, glaring at Hannah_

" _He's your Papa?" Hannah asked wide eyed._

" _Emmalyn, I won't remind you about you manners. Apologize now!" Jonathan was embarrassed by Emma's outburst._

" _No Papa, she said-" Emma shook her head but was cut off by Jonathan._

" _I don't care what she said. Apologize." Jonathan repeated._

" _She said I killed my Mama, that's why I don't gots one! She is mean and nasty!" Emma glared up at him, and he felt the air deflate from his chest._

" _Hannah!" Her mother gasped, as the girl looked up sheepishly._

" _I said sorry." Hannah pouted, as her mother shot them an apologetic look._

" _Emmalyn, you know that's not true." Jonathan shook his head sadly._

" _Then where is she? With my sisters?" Emma asked hopefully._

" _We'll talk about this later. Right now I want you to apologize to Hannah, I'm sure you hurt her feelings." Jonathan reminded her._

" _I just want to go home Papa." Emma pouted._

" _After you apologize!" He could feel his patience waning._

" _I'm sorry if I hurt you feelings." Emma grumbled, but Jonathan excepted it as he grabbed her hand._

" _It was nice meeting you." He smiled before scooping up his daughter._

 _Later that night..._

 _It was only when he was tucking his daughter into bed that night, that he finally decided to tell her the truth on why she was living with him and not with Ingrid and her sisters._

" _Emmalyn, do you remember how you asked me where you Mama was?" Jonathan swallowed the lump in his throat. Part of him wanted to be bitter, to paint Ingrid as the worse human being and to hide the one child he had managed to get custody of away from her whole existence._

" _Yes Papa." Emma replied sullenly_

" _Your Mama lives in New York, with Katie and Elsa." Jonathan continued_

" _Why we don't live there? Don't they love us?" Emma's bottom lip quivered_

" _Of course, how could anyone not love you Em's?" He gave her the largest grin he could muster up._

" _Why we don't live there?" Emma asked again._

" _It's why don't we live there. Listen Ladybug, sometimes things don't work out the way you expect them to you know? Mama, she made some choices and I made my own. She wanted something different in life, and I had to live with that." Jonathan answered as best as he could._

" _Don't she love you?" Emma frowned_

" _She did at one point. She gave me three beautiful little girls that I love with all my heart. But now she loves someone else." Johnathan sighed_

" _How come she don't want me?" Emma questioned, her fist balling up the covers._

" _She did want you Emma. She just did something very irresponsible, and I got to keep you here with me. Do you remember our old pool?" Jonathan asked, as his memory was assaulted with pictures of a much smaller Emma hooked up to various machines breathing for her._

" _I remember the water. It was scary." Four years did nothing to dimension her fear of pools._

" _Well Mama was supposed to be watching you and you got hurt. We went to court to decided who gets to live where, and the judge decided it would be too much for me to raise three little girls on my own. But he let me keep you because you were the youngest and you needed me the most." Tears burned his eyes, remembering when the judge decided to let Ingrid keep Kathryn and Elsa. The girls were seven and five, old enough to not be as vulnerable as a toddler. The female judge was sympathetic to Ingrid, not wanting to separate a woman from her children but realizing that she also had too much going on right now._

" _Papa, did you want Kat or Elly stead?" Emma bit her bottom lip waiting for an answer._

" _I wanted you all equally but I wouldn't trade one for another. I got you and your the best thing in my life. You're what keeps me going Ladybug. Get some sleep." He kissed her head goodnight._

 _ **End of Flashback**_

"When he drank, was he violent?" Regina felt like an asshole for asking, but looking at the sad look on Emma's face had her blurting out the question.

"No, he was just sad a couple of times out of the year. I'm assuming it was probably birthdays or anniversaries because it was always the same days every year." Emma shrugged not taking offense to it

"He sounds like a complicated man." Regina noted.

"He was, but he was always so patient with me. Except when it came to my manners." Emma snorted

"I can tell, you were down right political towards Ingrid and Phoebus." Regina grinned

"When I found out what happened, why my life was the way it was I was so pissed. Ingrid was supposed to be home alone watching me Kathryn and Elsa were at soccer and dance. My dad came home and found me floating face down in the pool. Ingrid was too busy getting her brains fucked out by the stable boy to realize I almost died." Emma spat out, just as the said woman was walking inside the room.

"Emmalyn..." Ingrid's eyes were glossy as tears fell down her face. It seemed like the mask was crumbling before them as Regina watched on in shock and Emma in anger.

"Don't call me that! My name is Emma." Emma gritted out.

"I named you, I know what you name is!" Ingrid shot back before she could stop herself. Her hand came up and clapped itself to her mouth.

"Yeah and you couldn't even do that right. What the hell type of name is Emmalyn?" Emma scoffed

"I named you after my mother and your father's mother if you must know. Emma and Lynn." Ingrid sniffed whipping her eyes.

"Is there something you want?" Emma asked coolly, the faux respect coming back into play.

"I don't know why he told you that. Probably to turn you against me. The doctors said you were so young, that you wouldn't have remembered it anyways. Why did he tell you that?" Ingrid mumbled to herself pacing.

"He didn't have to turn me against you, actually he made you out to be this saint. I had to find out from other people that the woman who gave birth to me was more worried about getting a nut , than actually taking care of her kid. Then you married him and moved on like we never existed. I mean you lost a husband and a daughter but you replaced him with another and a son." Emma spat.

"Emma-" Ingrid protested.

"Can you please excuse yourself? Or should I?" Emma glared at her, watching her practically run out of the room.

"You didn't have to be such a bitch to her. I mean she feels bad." Regina frowned.

"You can leave too. Go home to your family, at least you still have one." Emma jumped up and held the door open for her. Regina scoffed before pushing herself up and heading towards the entrance way.

"You have a family, you're just too caught up in your own hurt to see it. Pushing people away only works for so long." Regina seethed

"Goodbye Regina." Emma refused to look at her as the brunette reluctantly left.

 **AN: Updates will be around once a week, unless I have a day off then maybe twice a week.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six- What Hurts the Most**

 **I can take a few tears now and then and just let them out,**

Regina rushed out of the room to catch up with Ingrid, and she found the woman not to far away from Emma's room suppressing a sob. She didn't know all of the details about what had transpired fourteen years ago but she knew that Ingrid was hurting over the things Emma had said to her. Hearing heavy footsteps approaching them, she cringed when she saw Phoebus's concerned expression tinged with rage. It was a well known fact among everyone that he was overprotective of his family, and she knew this situation was about to get ten times worse.

"What happened?" Phoebus took three giant strides before embracing the crying blonde.

"Emma and her exchanged words," Regina offered an explanation.

"She hates me! I-Uh! He told her about what happened that night! With the pool!" Ingrid's voice broke off.

"Ingrid, we've been over this time and time again. We can't change what happened, we can only move forward. You have struggled with this for so long I'm not gonna allow that girl to come in here and throw it in your face!" The man tightened his grip on his wife.

"Don't call her _that girl_! She's MY DAUGHTER! She hates me because I was too caught up in myself that I nearly let her die! We don't even know how long she was in that pool for before Jonathan came home." Ingrid broke away from him.

"It was a freak accident! It could have happened at any time during the day! Why didn't Jonathan make sure the gate was locked before he left for work?! For all we know he could he put her in the pool to blame you for neglect!" Phoebus argued.

"I should have been watching her, I'm her mother! I should have been watching her." Ingrid muttered brokenly.

"That's it! I've already had it up to here! She has come in here and disrupted the flow of our household, Elsa who is always nice to everyone has been so angry all the time, Katherine is walking on eggs shells and she's trying to break you! Not to mention the offhanded comments that she keeps dropping." Phoebus ranted turning on his heel and stalking towards Emma's door. He burst in without knocking, catching the blonde off guard.

"Didn't your mother teach you basic manners?! It's kind of impolite to just walk in without knocking, not to mention frowned upon when its a teenage girl and a grown man." Emma crossed her arms over her chest.

"I want to know what you said to your mother!" Phoebus ignored her comment.

"Nothing at all. I would have to have one to speak to her." Emma sassed, ignoring Ingrid's sharp in take.

"That woman gave birth to you and you're just going to disregard her?" Phoebus asked in shock.

"Women give birth everyday, that doesn't make them mothers." Emma retorted

"Whatever you said to her- it holds no value! You have no idea what shit your father put that woman through!" Phoebus hissed, watching the teens body harden.

"Shut up." Emma spoke steely

"Oh you don't like it do you? You can dish it but can't take it." Phoebus spat.

"Phoebus!" Ingrid gasped

"No sir, that's your wife! You're mad because of what? That I called a whore a spade? If the shoe fits feel free to lace that bitch up and wear it! You two can sit up here like your the perfect fucking family but you're just the help at the end of the day." Emma said coolly, watching the man's eyebrow twitch

"Emma." Regina's voice was like a warning

"Please do shut the hell up. Your opinion is invalid to me." Emma crinkled her nose in disdain at the brunette, ignoring her hurt expression. She turned back to where she was shoving her fathers things back into her duffle bag, now that she had found where she put her friends phone number.

"If you expect for your time with us to run smoothly, we have rules you need to follow! You will respect me and your mother, and every other person that lives or visits this house!" Phoebus spoke firmly watching the blonde snort.

"Yeah well lucky for you, I'm leaving." Emma glared at him, before throwing her bag over her shoulder. She put her hair up into a ponytail, and that's when they noticed the graze wound on the side of her head. It was almost two and a half inches long ending in her hair line. It was red with purple surrounding it from where her flesh had gotten burned slightly. Otherwise it looked like it had been well cleaned and taken care of.

"Where are you going? You just got here, you can't just leave!" Ingrid protested.

"The plan was never for me to stay. I'd rather leave now than have you blame me for screwing up your family like you did mine." Emma's reply was directed to Phoebus, who under Ingrid's harsh glare sputtered for a reply.

"You can't just leave, we are your legal guardians now." Phoebus argued.

"Yeah...good luck with that." Emma muttered before pushing her pay pass him.

"Where are you going to go? You're only sixteen!" Ingrid rushed after her.

"Yeah, I'm sixteen, not four. I have a...friend? I'm gonna crash with her." Emma shrugged, as Kathryn , Elsa and Zelena came down the hall.

"What happened?" Elsa glanced to her mother before glaring at Emma.

"Oh fuck off will you!" Emma blurted out before she could stop herself.

"What did you do to my mom?" Elsa took a threatening step towards the younger girl.

"Need I remind you of what we discussed in that room? I didn't do anything to her, she did it all to herself!" Emma countered not backing down.

"What's with the bag?" Kathryn pointed to the duffle Emma was carrying.

"She's trying to leave." Regina interjected

"You just don't know when to shut up." Emma scoffed, missing the pained look Regina kept throwing her way.

"Emma..." This time it was Zelena who spoke, and Emma found herself turning towards the older woman.

"What? Do you want to tell me all about how I'm ruining your life too? I think you'd have to hold a ticket for your place in line." Emma quipped.

"No smart ass, what I was going to say is that I have a guest bedroom at my place you can take." Zelena crossed her arms over her chest.

"You don't even know me." Emma shook her head at the woman's naive attitude.

"I know you don't want to be here right now. I know that the way you called that girl a friend was questionable. _Semper Fratres!_ " Zelena emphasized the last part, watching Emma's eyes widen.

"You-?" Emma's eyebrows furrowed.

"Two years. That's why I'm too worried about you. That and I can tell you're a good kid but being here isn't helping you." Zelena said softly. There was a pregnant pause for a moment, as everyone watched the two slack jawed.

"Do you cook?" Emma teased.

"Oh please, Regina was the cook in the family." Zelena scoffed

"What a pity, I'm sure you'd look good in the kitchen." Emma grinned

"Oh doll, I do. Just not covered in flour or sauce." Zelena matched the girls smile. Kathryn cleared her throat awkwardly.

"Which car is yours?" Emma was completely unfazed.

"The green Mitsubishi." Zelena watched the younger girl turn on her heel before heading down the stairs.

"Lena, need I remind you that she's only sixteen." Kathryn glared slightly at her best friend.

"Oh please, the girl isn't remotely interested in me. I told you my thoughts on the situation, once you open you eyes you will see what I'm talking about. I'm sorry Ms. Midas if you feel that I was overstepping but the girl was going to leave either way. At least you know where she is, and that she will be safe and fed." Zelena replied defensively.

"No I- thank you Lena. There are things that you will understand about her that I can't, just take care of her please." Silent tears rushed down Ingrid's face.

"I'll try to get her to talk things out with you, I promise." Zelena hugged the blonde woman before she heard her car horn going off.

"Well I'm gonna head to my place, see you guys tomorrow." Zelena went to rush off not knowing her sister was behind her.

"Zelena! She is in a vulnerable place, don't take advantage of her!" Regina hissed grabbing her sister by the arm.

"Like I said, she isn't interested in me, just like I'm not interested in her. However if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were jealous." Zelena smirked down at the younger brunette.

"What?! I have a girlfriend!" Regina sputtered.

"Mhmm." Zelena hummed in agreement but didn't let up from her smirk.

"I'll talk to you later Gina." Zelena continued on her way.

* * *

"What the hell took you so long?" Emma muttered dejectedly

"I had to assure everyone I wasn't going to have my wicked way with you." Zelena responded honestly

"Well I guess I'll never know now." Emma said in a fake sad voice

"Know what?" Zelena furrowed her eyebrows as she started the car

"If the carpet, matching the drapes." Emma cackled

"I don't have a carpet, I'm more into a _smooth_ finish." Zelena grinned, watching Emma hunch over from laughing so hard.

"Oh my goodness!" Emma gasped for air.

"Yeah I mean if only they knew you had eyes for a different Mills." Zelena dropped the bomb, watching Emma sober up

"Yeah well, I don't think anything is going to come from that. No offense or nothing but your sister is a bit of a bitch." Emma responded.

"Yes well that's apart of her charm." Zelena joked.

"She's spoken for also." Emma pointed out.

"That's true. I just can't believe they fell for the whole obnoxious flirting after you were practically drooling over Regina. Not the smartest bunch." Zelena replied, pulling up into her driveway.

"Mi Casa, Su Casa." Zelena responded when Emma finally got out of the car.

"You're only twenty-three how the hell can you afford this place?" Emma gawked at the interior.

"It was a gift from my parents after I got back. I couldn't deal with the loud noise from Regina, flashbacks you know." Zelena frowned slightly. Emma nodded in understanding.

"Yeah I do." She admitted

"If you ever want to talk about it...I've got two ears." Zelena smiled slightly

"Same to you." Was Emma's serious reply.

"Well how about I show you your room?" Zelena clapped, changing the subject.

 **AN: There will be some WickedSwan moments, but not in a romantic way. More like a sisterly/best friend sort of deal. Working on the next chapter right !now**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Six- What Hurts the Most**

 **I'm not afraid to cry,**

 _-I never thought that I'd be doing this, writing my feelings down in some book and hoping it will atone for all of my grievances. Never thought that I wouldn't be a man enough to tell you this to your face Lady Bug, but you deserve the truth and an explanation...I know I wasn't always the best father, I wasn't always there to protect you. I suppose that's one of the reasons I enlisted, that and I didn't want my little girl to grow up with an alcoholic parent. I hope the one thing I did right by you, was telling you every chance I could that I love you, because I do! You're the other half of my heart that kept me going when I was ready to give up in that desert._

She couldn't bring herself to read pass the first paragraph, she didn't feel emotionally ready for the implications that his journal held. The stinging in her eyes told her this, as she gently closed the book and slipped it back into the duffle bag. As angry as she was at Ingrid, she knew most of it was projected from her anger at Jonathan for putting her in this situation. Sure she was upset that Ingrid didn't try hard enough to see her during the fourteen years she was with her father. However she realized that ultimately it was her father who decided to leave her alone in this world.

There was a soft knock at the door, and Emma muttered a quick 'Come in" as she rubbed roughly at her face.

"Do you need a moment?" Zelena frowned peaking her head in the doorway but not yet coming into the room.

"No..what's up?" Emma asked, noticing the way Zelena fidgeted at the door.

"Well I'm not really sure how things like this go. I never really have people over but I was wondering if you'd like to watch a movie and I'd order a pizza or something." Zelena furrowed her eyebrows as she thought about what she was saying.

"That sounds a bit like a date." Emma teased.

"Maybe, if you weren't infatuated with my sister and I with yours." Zelena muttered, causing Emma's jaw to drop.

"What?! Please tell me its the not-so bitchy but has a resting bitch face one. Kathryn?" Emma scooting closer towards Zelena and patted a spot on the bed. When Zelena didn't offer an answer, but sat down blushing Emma groaned.

"It's not Elsa is it?" Emma whined, watching Zelena look away.

"I'm conflicted. She's my best friends little sister. Normally she's a really sweet girl, and we've kissed a few times but the way she treated you...that was a new side of her that I quite frankly want no part in." Zelena admitted.

"Damn, look don't let me be the cause of your relationship flipping!" Emma protested.

"It isn't you, and there wasn't even a damn relationship. We would have had to sneak around because she was too nervous to tell Kat, and I'm glad I avoided the situation in general. Why go through all of that trouble for someone with a terrible personality hidden underneath the surface?" Zelena argued.

"Yeah but she's really only a terrible person when it comes to dealing with me. I'm sure we all have that one person that just grinds our gears." Emma pointed out.

"While that may be true, you did nothing to her. She was angry long before you ever stepped foot into that house." Zelena sighed deeply.

"Yeah this sounds like a Netflix's, pizza and cry about the unattainable females in our lives. Too bad I'm too young for booze." Emma exhaled dramatically, watching a grin break out on Zelena's face for the first time since she stepped into the room.

"Are you speaking of my sister?" Zelena propped herself up to look down at the blonde. Emma eyed her warily, but for some reason she felt she could trust the red head.

"Yeah I guess." Emma mumbled.

"You guess?" Zelena raised an eyebrow amused.

"I'm conflicted." Emma copied the older girl's excuse.

"I bet you are!" The older woman cackled.

"I am. One one hand she's beautiful, easy to talk with and she speaks her mind...but you turn that hand over and she doesn't know when not to use her own input, she's in a committed relationship and she has this patronizing attitude sometimes." Emma frowned.

"Oh my dear girl, it sounds like you've been hit by cupid's arrow." Zelena smirked.

"AND that's where this conversation ends. You order the pizza, mushrooms and broccoli on my side and I'll get the movie." Emma scrambled off the bed, hearing Zelena laughing behind her.

* * *

Dinner was a very quiet affair, with the only sounds being their silverware hitting the china they were eating off of. For the first time in a week, Elsa had been able to relax enough to finish the little bit she put on her plate before going back for seconds. However as she chewed her food slowly, she thought about the way Zelena had taken up for Emma. The implications in her jealous mindset had her green eyed monster clawing at the surface of her skin.

"What happened earlier?" Kathryn broke the silence, watching Phoebus and Ingrid look at each other.

"Nothing to worry about Kit Kat." Phoebus shoveled steamed cauliflower into his mouth before chewing thoughtfully.

"I think that's the problem right now. Neither of you are worried about it. I mean I can practically feel Elsa's smug ass attitude from here, and you're not too far off from her. Mom is acting like her daughter didn't just leave, again!" Kathryn hissed, setting her fork down before sitting back in her chair.

"I'm not being smug! Am I happy she left? Yes! Do I really give a damn? Not really." Elsa scooped some more mashed sweet potatoes onto her plate.

"You make me sick! She didn't even do anything to you but you were acting like you had this big chip on your shoulder. She's your little sister." Kathryn couldn't contain her disdain.

"Girls!" Phoebus tried to stop the argument but it was no use.

"She isn't anything to me but someone who shares the same DNA. We didn't grow up as sisters, so don't expect me to treat her like one! She has ruined this family for too long." Elsa argued.

"How the hell could a two year old ruin a family? Whatever happened all those years ago, happened because of something between Mom, Jonathan and Phoebus! We never got the whole story or even part of it! You've been jealous of a girl for fourteen years because of what exactly?" Kathryn's eyes blazed with barely contained rage, however her comments had Elsa speechless.

"You can't possibly believe there is any truth of what she said. Mom tell her!" Elsa exclaimed

"Yes mother, tell us!" Kathryn glared at the woman who gave birth to her.

"Kathryn Elizabeth Midas!" Phoebus slammed his silverware down.

"What do you want to know?" Ingrid looked down at her plate, pushing around the food slowly.

"I want to know everything! I want to know why the hell Jonathan was able to get custody of Emma and why we never saw them again. What the hell happened to our family?" Kathryn demanded an answer

"You don't have to do this!" Phoebus argued, glaring at Kathryn who wasn't backing down.

"Jonathan and I got married when I was a teenager, because I was pregnant with you Katie. I was never in love with him, but he was my best friend and at the time that was enough for me. Elsa came along next and then Emmalyn. She was always a quiet toddler but she was sneaky too...We had hired Phoebus on almost four months prior and for me there was always this connection." Ingrid looked both of her children in the eyes, and she could see the conflict in Elsa's.

"Mom..." Elsa's voice wavered.

"I need to do this baby girl. I can't keep hiding this." Ingrid shook her head.

"I cheated on Jonathan and began and affair with Phoebus. We were always so careful that it was never around you guys. I didn't want to hurt anybody." Ingrid whimpered.

"Mom stop." Elsa bit down on her bottom lip.

"You two were at soccer and dance but Emmalyn was getting over a cold. She was so fussy so I put her down for a nap. I didn't know that the gate to the pool was unlocked...Jonathan was supposed to be at work but he came home to check on Emma. He found me in bed with Phoebus. He was so angry, he was planning on just taking Emma and picking you guys up from where you were but we couldn't find her. She wasn't where I had put her down for her nap, and at first I wasn't too worried about what that meant. I thought all of the doors were closed. Somehow she had gotten into the pool, she was face down in the water and her lips were purple. I just panicked and Phoebus called for an ambulance while Jonathan did CPR. She was on a ventilator for nine days before she woke up. Jonathan had went to a judge to get emergency custody of all of you but she didn't think he was capable of raising three little girls. However she didn't think I was capable of raising a toddler , so she gave him custody of Emma. I had gotten weekend visitation rights initially but he went and got a restraining order placed against me and hopped town." Ingrid watched both girls absorb the information.

"What else?" Kathryn knew her mother was holding something back.

"I found them, several times. I had a private investigator follow Emmalyn around but he spooked her once. She was only seven, and she didn't know why a grown man was following her around. Jonathan had just come back from a small tour and he contacted me. He said if I didn't leave him and Emma alone that he would push for full custody of all of you now that he was at a better place in his life. I was

in therapy, it wouldn't have been a stretch. I had already lost one of my babies, I didn't want to loose you two so I signed away my rights and I tried to move on." Ingrid took a deep gulp of her Riesling before topping it off.

"So if I was breaking it down in simpler terms, you cheated on Jonathan while Emma was home. She nearly died, he got custody of her and moved away and then to keep us you signed away your rights?" Kathryn ground her teeth after she asked the question. Ingrid just nodded.

"That doesn't explain why he never came back to see us! All we were worth was a birthday card and a few hundred dollar bills!" Elsa spat

"Jonathan was a man of pride. He didn't want to come back and see me with Phoebus, and he didn't want to see you two with him either. We both would have had split custody and he would have had to hear about you spending time with the man your mother cheated with." Ingrid replied honestly.

"And you thought it was Emma who ruined our family? The woman you should be blaming is the same one you keep sticking up for!" Kathryn sneered, before throwing down her napkin and stalking out the room.

"Elsa I-" Ingrid swallowed deeply

"No! I don't care about what happened. You're still my mother, and the parent who raised me. Phoebus is my dad, he was there when Jonathan wasn't! We all make mistakes but I'm not going to be the one to hold it over you head like them." Elsa shook her head before looking down at her plate. She desperately wanted to be comforted by Zelena but the red head wasn't speaking with her at the moment and seeing her would mean seeing Emma.

"I think I'm going to bed now." Elsa quickly left the room.

"I still think you shouldn't have told them that. All it did was stir up old feelings and make them feel hurt and angry about something that happened years ago." Phoebus told his wife.

"This was something that they needed to know. Who am I to keep this from them any longer? It shouldn't have been a secret to begin with." Ingrid denied before leaving the room also.

* * *

Zelena and Emma had gotten through several old kids movies including Lady and the Tramp, Aladdin, and they were now in the process of starting Tarzan. The pizza laid in front of them, still warm as the girls prepared the couch once more with blankets, pillows and some soda.

"I used to do this all the time when I came back. The kids movies have a lot of deeper meanings than people realize. It really touches your heart. Plus they rarely have some random explosion in the background." Zelena informed her.

"They used to make me feel safe when my dad was overseas. There was always a happy ending, it sort of gave me hope." Emma admitted.

"It's nice being able to do something like this with someone without them looking at you strange. I mean Elsa and I watched movies, but there was always a distraction." Zelena sniffed.

"You miss her don't you?" Emma turned to look at the older girl.

"I feel like I'm a bad person for saying yes." Zelena closed her eyes briefly

"You aren't a bad person, you're human. I miss my dad and he did some worse things to me. At the end of the day we miss the good person in them, but we also miss just being in their presence. The good and the bad." Emma said softly, playing with the dog tags around her neck.

"You mean like breaking your arm, or trying to kill you?" Zelena said before she could stop herself. Emma tensed up but only slightly.

"My arm was an accident, I never blamed him for that. Is it wrong that I'm angry that he couldn't go through with it? Sometimes I feel like I'm on autopilot, all I can feel is so much anger or pain. Then I just go numb. Will I always feel like this?" Emma asked

"I hope not. I just don't think that he could bare taking you away from this world, you have a lot to offer." Zelena smiled sadly at the girl.

"I'd rather he had taken me, then just leaving me here alone. This is like knowing he was going overseas and that I wouldn't see him for a long time, but now I know he isn't coming back. He's never coming back. I'll never hear his voice, hear him laugh, ask him for advice. He won't be here to yell at me to do good in school, to see me graduate or go to prom. He won't meet my kids or see me get married. He won't be here to protect me, he's really never coming back." The tears rushing down her cheeks itched her flesh.

"Just because he's gone in body, doesn't mean he's gone in spirit. All of those things, he will see. You got to believe that. And if you ever for some reason need someone to protect you, I'll be that person, doll." Zelena scooted over and began wiping Emma's tears with her long sleeved P.J top. Bringing the girl into a crushing hug, she rocked her until the tears stop.

"Oh my goodness, this is so embarrassing. I'm sorry." Emma blushed when she seen the small wet spot on the top of Zelena's shoulders from where her tears soaked through.

"Don't worry about it. Like I said I'm here if you need to talk. If you need to cry, I'm here for that too." Zelena waved her off, hearing the doorbell go off. Leaving so Emma had time to collect herself she went to answer the door.

 **AN: So people have been telling me that the infrequent updates are killing the story for them and I want to apologize for that. I'm going to try to do better with updating more frequently for you guys. As an apology you got this a week early :)**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Seven- What Hurts the Most**

 **Every once in a while,**

"I don't think you being here right now is a good idea." Zelena frowned at her best friend when she noticed the girl's shaky hands.

"My mom just told me, she told me everything and I- I didn't know where to go!"Kathryn ran a shaky hand through her hair and Zelena beckoned her in the door.

"I'm sorry Kat." Zelena replied sympathetically, watching Emma come into view.

"I'm putting in Brother Bear..." Emma trailed off when she saw Kathryn.

"I know you probably don't want me over here right now-" Kathryn started but Emma interrupted her.

"Why wouldn't I want you here? This isn't my house to say who can come and go." Emma tilted her head to the side as she studied Kathryn.

"I just assumed you wouldn't want to be around me." Kathryn admitted in a soft tone.

"Why wouldn't I want you around? You have been nothing but cordial to me. Are you okay?" Emma furrowed her eyebrows as she took in Kathryn's profile.

"I-Uh, no. No I'm not."Kathryn let out a broken sob, as Zelena embraced her best friend. Emma shifted around awkwardly before deciding to leave Zelena to take care of the situation .

"Kat, tell me what happened so I can help." Zelena led Kathryn over towards the couch.

"Everything is falling apart Lena." Kathryn whispered, sinking into the cushion.

"What do you mean? Why don't you start from the beginning and tell me everything?" Zelena tried to steer the conversation in a direction that wasn't all over the place.

"My mom told me about what happened between her and Jonathan all those years ago. She was cheating on him with Phoebus, while Emma was still in the house. Emma got into the pool and nearly drowned, so Jonathan went and got custody of her. He didn't come back because he didn't want to see us with Phoebus. Everything is a mess. I have a sister who hates me and another one whose acting like an entitled bitch." Kathryn blew her nose into the tissue that was being offered to her.

"Emma doesn't hate you and Elsa will get over all of this." The red head tried to assure her friend.

"I'm sorry for being a mess, I just didn't know where to go." Kathryn frowned apologetically

"Hey we're best friends, you can come over whenever." Zelena informed her.

"Yeah but still, I didn't want to make things awkward with Emma. I mean she left to get away from all of us." Kathryn pointed out, and it was then they both realized that Emma had left the room.

"I don't think her being in that house was a good idea anyways. I mean, did you hear what her and Elsa said to each other?" Zelena scoffed.

"Is that why you two haven't been sneaking around anymore?" Kathryn narrowed her eyes at her best friend who looked at her slack jawed.

"We weren't! I-" Zelena stammered

"I seen you two kiss at the beach bonfire several weeks back. I mean you both were drunk, but it was too familiar. Then all of a sudden you two can't seem to get away from each other fast enough and you can barely be in the same room. I was just wondering when you were going to tell me." Kathryn raised an eyebrow, pleased to change the sensitive topic from her to the other woman.

"It wasn't a relationship. Just a few stolen moments and a couple of kisses. I was going to tell you!" Zelena started

"So what happened?" Kathryn turned fully towards the auburn beauty.

"...more like what didn't happen. She didn't want to tell your parents or you. She wanted everything to stay a secret. I mean the girl is only nineteen but she acts so immature sometimes. When your mother said that Emma was coming back, she changed into a different person. Lets just say I didn't like what I saw." Zelena informed her

"So is that why you think Emma isn't interested in you? Because you're interested in my other little sister?" Kathryn questioned

"No, that isn't why. Just trust me when I say that Emma's affections are towards another." Zelena rolled her eyes, her eyes catching the movie that Emma had said she was going to put on. It was laying hazardously on the edge of the coffee table, like it had just been dropped there.

"What were you two doing before I came here?" Kathryn scrunched up her nose at the pizza box an the movies littering the table.

"Pizza and movies, with a little girl talk." Zelena shrugged.

"Do you think Emma knows she eats her pizza like my mom?" They both chuckled at the mushroom and broccoli pizza.

"I doubt it, I thought it was best just not to say anything. Nature vs Nurture is a very finicky thing." Zelena replied.

"So umm, what movie was next?" Kathryn bit her lip, not really wanting to leave just yet.

"Emma said she was going to put in brother bear, but if she's heading to sleep I'm sure we can watch something else." Zelena rose from the couch and padded her way down the hall to the guest room. She knocked several times, but didn't receive a response so she peaked inside. Emma had curled herself into a tight ball and her eyes were screwed shut tightly, but her even breathing and the slight snore emanating from her mouth let Zelena know that then teen had fell asleep. Closing the door back softly, she walked back to her living room.

"She's asleep. You can set up the movie and I'll start cleaning up in case you end up crashing here." Zelena said, as she began gathering empty cans of soda and picking up the pizza box.

Emma had perfected the art of fake sleeping, keeping her breathing even and deep with the occasionally fluctuation along with a deeper snore. She was currently fighting her flight or fight instincts as she glanced at her phone. Neal had been texting her nonstop since she arrived in New York, and Emma was itching to meet up with him. However she didn't just want to leave Zelena in the dark after all the woman had done for her. Sighing to herself she looked at the clock...11:23...

Slipping out of the bed, she text Lily to have the brunette pick her up around the corner. Walking out of the room, she could hear Zelena and Kathryn laughing at some sitcom.

"Emma! I'm sorry, did we wake up?" Zelena frowned, turning down the volume on the TV

"It's fine. I'm just gonna head out and get some air or whatever." Emma waved her off.

"At 11:30 at night?" Kathryn looked worried

"Is that a problem?" Emma narrowed her eyes at the blonde, and Kathryn tried to backtrack

"No, but you have on jeans and everything. Which suggest you plan on staying out for a while." Kathryn said in a sheepish tone

"No offense or anything but your not my mother. I used to go out all the time." Emma lied, her father would have had a fit if she was trying this while he was alive. Oh well, the man wasn't here by his own accord so she could do what she pleased.

"When do you plan on coming back? Or are you planning on staying out with that friend?" Zelena quickly caught on. Emma had too much respect for the red head to be rude.

"Is there a certain time you want me back?" Emma asked.

"Before 2. I want you to text me every thirty minutes, New York is a dangerous city." Zelena said firmly

"Done." Emma nodded before heading towards the door. She could see Neal's yellow bug parked on the corner of the street and she jogged to it.

"You're just letting her go, just like that?" Kathryn gasped

"Like she said, we're not her mothers. All we can do is guide her and let her know we're here if she needs something. She doesn't need another parent right now. She's a good kid...she's just so angry." Zelena explained

"I can see that. How do you get her to listen to you?" Kathryn furrowed her eyebrows.

"I don't know. I think its cause she respects me. That's something that's big with army brats. It's hard to get and even harder to keep." Zelena shrugged watching Kathryn nod.

"Hey." He grinned, eyeing her up and down. She had met the twenty-two year old back when her father was based in New York for several weeks. They had flirted a bit until he learned that she was only fifteen but he had recently contacted her after her fathers death. They had text nonstop since she realized she was coming to New York to live.

"What time did the fake 'rents say you had to be home?" Neal asked, pulling off. He had an itch that needed scratching, and if he planned everything right it would be the beautiful blonde that would end up riding him by the end of the night.

"By 2, so whatever it is we're going lets hurry up." Emma knew that the man was going to be able to either smoke her up or at the very least get her something to drink that would be able to take the edge off.

"So Little Miss Thing is all grown up now. How old are you again?" Neal asked, taking several lefts until he reached his apartment above a bodega.

"Sixteen, and don't ever fucking call me that again!" Emma hissed glaring at the surprised man beside her. That was one of her father's nicknames for her, and she wasn't in the mood to hear it anytime soon.

"Well you're wound tight." Neal frowned, killing the engine before getting out with Emma following him. The blonde rolled her eye's ignoring the comment before following him up. His father owned the bodega underneath his apartment, so he went and grabbed a couple of snacks before they headed up.

"Make yourself at home, I'm going to go get some paper." Neal said referring to the bong he had sitting on the table. There were many ways to get high, but the brunette man seemed to prefer smoking over anything else. Emma slipped off her jacket, and sat back on the couch. She picked up the bong and noted that it was brand new.

"I got that for you. Red seems to be your color." He smirked, bringing back a bottle of Tequila and two glasses.

"It is." Emma accepted the tumbler filled with amber liquid as she slowly sipped the drink she just watched him pour. Neal sank to the couch beside her.

"So how's everything been with you? You know considering?" Neal licked the paper, preparing to roll one up. The process was almost therapeutic, and he could probably do it in his sleep. He didn't understand why people were so against smoking occasionally, it didn't make him a bum. He had a job that he held down, and he supported his son financially and physically. So what he liked to smoke a tree every now and then. It was becoming legal in several states, New York just need to hurry the fuck up. He was lost in his thoughts as he finished rolling it and was preparing to light up.

"I didn't come here for this. I came here to just let go for a few hours." Emma snatched the blunt from him before lighting it herself. She took several puffs and on the last one she held it in before passing it to the brunette.

"Well I know a couple of ways to get the job done." Neal smirked. Between the two of the, they smoke two more blunts and finished two thirds of the bottle before Neal placed his hand on the inside of Emma's thigh. She was drunk, and she felt lighter than she had in months since she last smoked with her best friend Lily.

"Emma..." Neal's voice caught her attention, and realized that his hand was skimming her clothed crotch with his hand. She knew it wasn't right, hell she knew she shouldn't even be here but she was too far gone too care. When his chapped but insistent lips pressed into her's she didn't even bother protesting.

The next morning came all too soon, and Emma's heart plummeted when she realized she fell asleep in Neal's apartment. The mess in between her legs told her all she needed to know about how their night had ended.

"Good you're awake." Neal seemed relieved as he came into the room smelling like a bar of soap. Emma just nodded while casually wiping the man's fluids from her center.

"You didn't use a condom?" Emma's voice was steely as she spoke.

"I didn't have one. But hey listen, not trying to be a dick or anything but my son is on his way so I need you to leave." Neal was pulling a shirt over his head and he refused to look the teen in the eye. Emma had never felt so stupid, it wasn't like she cared for the man besides what he could do for her, and it was clear that she was just sex to him. Quickly she pulled on her clothes as she thought about how she was going to get back to Zelena's place.

"I had fun babe. We should do it again sometime. You have the tightest-" He was cut off as Emma quickly left the room and his apartment. The blonde finally made it out of the complex and looked down at her phone. She had several missed calls from Zelena and Kathryn along with a couple of texts. Quickly she dialed the red head's phone, who picked up after the first ring.

"Oh thank god you called! I've been worried sick!" Zelena's tone was dripping with concern, and it brought tears to Emma's eyes.

"I-I'm sorry." Emma sniffed, apologizing to the woman.

"What's wrong? What happened? Are you okay?" Zelena ranted offhandedly

"Lena...I did something stupid." Emma admitted

"Where are you? I'm coming to pick you up!" Zelena said quickly.

"Fifth and Broad. I'm walking up to the little sandwich stop up the street." Emma replied, going into the store.

"Give me fifteen!" Zelena hung up, as Emma slunk up to the counter and bought some juice. True to her word. Zelena burst into the shop a little after fifteen minutes and her eyes sought out Emma.

"Emma! What happened?" Zelena whispered after she made sure the girl was okay. Her hair was muffled and she smelled like alcohol, weed and sex.

"Can we talk about this later?" Emma couldn't look her in the eye.

"Did you have sex last night?" Zelena cut straight to the point, watching Emma's guilty eyes connect to hers.

"Did you at least use protection?" Zelena asked. When Emma looked away she cursed.

"Shit Emma! You're only sixteen years old! Are you trying to be a teen mom? Or worse, end up with some incurable disease?" Zelena hissed.

"I didn't mean for it to happen! Hell I can't even remember it!" Emma hissed.

"What the hell do you mean you can't remember it? Did he drug you?" Zelena's eyes widen as she tried to contain her rage.

"No, not really. We smoked and drank some, it wasn't like he raped me or anything." Emma tried to backtrack.

"How old is he?" Zelena asked dragging Emma out to her car.

"Twenty-two." Emma admitted sliding into the passenger seat

"Are you fucking kidding me? That's statutory rape! You can't legally consent and you were drunk! Not to mention high!" Zelena slammed the drivers door before hitting the steering wheel in frustration.

"It's not that big of a deal." Emma sighed

"Maybe not now, but eventually this is going to catch up to you." Zelena warned before driving to her clinic.

"What are we doing here?" Emma frowned.

"You just had unprotected sex. They are going to give you the morning after pill and some other drugs to make sure you didn't catch anything." Zelena explained as they got out.

"When we get back to my apartment, Regina is going to be there." Zelena informed Emma who just looked at her for an explanation .

"She came over this morning to apologize to you about the way things went but you weren't there." They were only two minutes away from Zelena's place when the red head dropped this bomb on her.

"Okay." Emma nodded as they pulled into Zelena's designated parking spot. As soon as they walked into the door, all eyes were on them.

"Looks like someone had a wild night" Tink smirked at her, and she could barely hide her disdain but held her tongue instead going into the guest room. She began stripping her clothes off when the door suddenly opened.

"What the fuck!" Emma hissed, but the brunette teen had already seen.

"What are all those scars on your back, and those bruises on your thighs? Did you get hurt last night?" Regina asked worriedly, ignoring Emma state of undress. The blonde was in underwear and a bra, it was nothing she hadn't seen before but out of respect she kept her eyes on Emma's angry ones.

"Not that its any of your business but the scars are from my training. I didn't get hurt last night." Emma grabbed a towel from the top of the dresser.

"Those bruises say something different. They are hand prints! Did someone grab you?" Regina furrowed her eyebrows still not understanding what the bruises indicated. However she now noticed the various bite marks littering Emma's body.

"It was just rough sex, damn. Don't tell me you've never gotten bruised." Emma scoffed

"No I haven't because I've never had sex! I'm not some easy slut that sleeps with random people." Regina threw in the jab before she could stop herself. This wasn't going to way she was planning on it going but lord help her if her jealousy wasn't rearing its ugly head.

"Too bad. It might get the stick out your ass." Emma shrugged, but her jaw was locked tightly

"Stick out of my ass? You're the one acting like some entitled bitch! I don't even know why my sister is trying. It's clear you just want to destroy yourself and everyone around you." Regina glared at the blonde. Emma seemed to contemplate this piece of information before she turned back to Regina.

"You don't know shit about me." Emma replied.

"Look I just came in here to say sorry. I didn't mean anything by the slut comment." Regina sighed when Emma walked away. Why could nothing ever go right?

 **AN: There was a reason for everything in this chapter so just hang in there. Swan Queen friendship is coming in like two to three chapters for the people who've asked. This is a Swan Queen romance story though**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Eight- What Hurts The Most**

 **Going on without ya still upsets me,**

When Emma had finished with her extra long shower, she didn't expect for Zelena to be in her room waiting for her. Thankfully she had already gotten dressed in the en suite bathroom, so it wasn't like she was walking out in just her towel or worse, naked.

"I think we need to talk." Zelena's voice reminded her of a scolding parent, and Emma felt like she was getting into trouble with her father.

"About what?" Emma sighed deeply

"About what happened last night. I need you to tell me everything. What was his name, how old he was and where he lives." Zelena replied, crossing her arms over her chest with a no nonsense attitude.

"Why do you want to know all of that? It's over and done with." Emma shook her head, looking out the window.

"Just appease me. Please." It was the way Zelena said please, that broke Emma's resolve.

"His name is Neal Cassidy, he's around twenty two, maybe twenty three. We met back when my dad was based here. He was a cool guy. He lives above the bodega up the street." Emma swallowed, as she answered all of Zelena's questions.

"What were you thinking? Going out and doing something as reckless as that? That man could have killed you!" Zelena's eyes were blazing when she thought about how Neal had taken advantage of a vulnerable Emma.

"He's not like that." Emma shook her head, but truthfully she didn't think that he was the type to fuck her without a condom and then basically kick her out the next day

"You don't know that! You met this guy for like what? A month out of the year? And then you go and get wasted with him? He gave illegal drugs to a minor, he isn't a good guy!" Zelena rose from the bed.

"Please just stop! I-I get it" Emma's voice cracked.

"No, I don't think you do! I refused to sit by and watch you do this to yourself! You are a beautiful girl, with a good head on your shoulders but right now you seem so lost. So if approaching this whole this like you are a soldier is the only thing that gets to you, then so be it. No more going out late, you are to be in this house by nineteen hundred hours. If you get caught drinking, your in for the rudest awaken of your life. Smoking? I'm going to work your ass harder then a soldier three months away from deployment. Do you understand?" Zelena raised an eyebrow, her nostrils flaring from her rant.

"Yeah..." Emma nodded absently

"Excuse me?" Zelena put her hands on her hip.

"Yes Ma'am." Emma nodded a bit firmer, but she was still trying to keep her tears at bay.

"I don't ever want to feel the way I did yesterday Emma. It felt like I had a child out there but I didn't know if they were hurt or lost. That is the worse feeling in the world. I might seem like a dick or a hard ass now, but that's only because I expected more from you and I care about you enough to speak up." Zelena softened, if only slightly before walking over to Emma.

"No I- I understand" Emma blinked hard as several tears made their way down her face. Zelena didn't hesitate bringing the girl into a bone crushing hug.

"I understand the need to let go, but that never is the answer." Zelena rubbed her back, as Emma sniffled into her chest.

"I know." Emma agreed.

"Now I have something I need to do, and then we are going out to pick you up some clothes or something. I need to go for a drive anyways and we might as well go together." Zelena informed her before walking out. She was so angry but she knew that the one person who would make this right legally, and she decided to give her a call.

* * *

"...Hello Mother, I need your help" Zelena exhaled deeply.

Cora had made it to her daughter swank but quaint apartment in a little under a half an hour. Her daughter never asked for help, so to hear the twenty-three year old sound so defeated on the phone had her setting down everything.

"So I need you to tell me everything. Who this girl is, how old she is, what happened, and if she's willing to testify." Cora sat down in all her regal glory, as Zelena poured the woman a glass of red wine.

"Her name is Emma Swan and she's sixteen. She went and met up with a man she thought was her friend and he got her drunk and high. They had sex but she doesn't remember much of it. As for testifying she doesn't even know I called you." Zelena admitted, wanting nothing more than to ripe out her hair

"How old is this friend?" Cora frowned at the thought of such a young girl partaking in such activities.

"Twenty two or twenty-three." Zelena answer

"What?!" Cora hissed, setting down her glass harshly.

"That's what I was saying. Mom you gotta do something." Zelena pleaded.

"Does she know his name? Cora asked through gritted teeth, already planning on how she was going to destroy this man in court.

"Neal Cassidy." Zelena spat out with distaste, watching her mother reel back.

"What?" Zelena frowned

"Neal Cassidy is the son of Gold Cassidy, a partner at my law firm." Cora responded through pursed lips.

"Yeah and?" Zelena didn't seem to understand the big deal.

"And he's ruthless in court, he is going to tear this girl apart...Such a shame, Neal has a young son and he seemed like he was finally getting his life on track." Cora shook her head.

"So what are you saying? She shouldn't file charges because his dad is a lawyer and he has a kid?" Zelena scoffed

"That's not what I'm saying at all-" Cora started

"You weren't there when I had to hold her hand as they gave her shot after shot, or took blood from her. When they asked her all of these details about her sexual history. Or when she could barely swallow the pills they gave her." Zelena stood up heatedly

"You're right, I wasn't there but I need you both to know how hard this is actually going to be. I haven't done a case as a prosecutor in over twenty years. Gold is going to drag Emma through the wringer." Cora argued

"Whose gonna drag me through the wringer?" Emma asked from the doorway.

"My God! Is that-?" Cora gasped looking between her daughter and the girl.

"Yes, so do you want to tell your best friend that you won't go after the scum who took advantage of her kid or should I?" Zelena glared at her mother.

"What's going on?" Emma hugged herself as she watched both of them.

"We are going to make sure that asshole doesn't do what he did to you to anyone else." Zelena admitted

"By doing what? Look I don't want any trouble-!" Emma started to protest.

"What that man did to you was unacceptable and nothing we can say or do can change the fact that he preyed on your vulnerable state. However I am going to do everything in my power to make sure that he can't do it to you or any other young girl." Cora interjected

"Why did you tell her? Who the hell is she?" Emma had never felt so betrayed in her life. She had trusted Zelena enough to tell her some of the vague details about what happened the previous night.

"She's my mother and I had to tell her. What type of person would I have been to just stay silent?" Zelena tried to defend herself.

"A friend! Someone I thought I could trust! That's who you'd be. I can see I was wrong." Emma scrunched up her nose and began walking away.

"Oh no no no! Don't try to turn this on me! I'm not the one who raped you!" Zelena went after her, watching Emma flinch at the word.

"I wasn't raped!" Emma hissed.

"Yes you were! Your sixteen, he's in his twenties! You were high and drunk, which are both highly illegal especially given that you aren't of age yet, and it was provided for by him! You couldn't consent even if you were sober!" Zelena shouted, her face turning red.

"So what? Nobody is going to believe me anyways. I went there! I got myself drunk and I smoked with him and I can't remember anything after that! They are going to take one look at me and my story and set him free. Then what? Everyone knows how much of a slut I really am?" Emma scoffed wetly.

"You aren't a slut! You were just in a bad place" Zelena denied

"That's not what your sister said." Emma mumbled

"What?" Zelena asked in disbelief.

"She called me a slut." Emma tried to ignore the pain in her chest but she felt like she had this instant connection with the brunette only for everything to go left. At least now she knew about how Regina felt for her.

"That little bit-" Zelena was cut off by her mothers glare.

"Look I'm sure she didn't mean it. You can't blame yourself for this Emma. He was the adult and he should have acted like one. There is a reason there is a legal consent age ." Zelena softened, going to comfort the girl

"I just want to wake up and find out this all was a really bad dream." Emma admitted.

"I know, me too." Zelena rubbed her arm gently, unsure if Emma was up for a hug.

"Dear, you need to file a police report sooner rather than later. However I think you should take a few hours to yourself. I'll be in touch" Cora excused herself before leaving.

"How about another movie night?" Zelena offered and Emma just nodded her agreement.

* * *

INGRIDS POV

She could barely breath, being around Phoebus made her feel like she was suffocating. That her chest was just seconds away from caving in. She could not look at her husband without seeing her baby face down in that pool. Without seeing the little girl hooked up to dozens of machines as nurses worked around the clock to make sure she was going to pull through. She couldn't get Jonathan's look of betrayal and hurt our of her head. How disgusted he seemed when he handed her those divorce papers and said he was going to take everything from her.

In a way he did. Emmalyn had always been a Mama's girl before Jonathan received full custody of her. In no way shape or form did Ingrid play favorites with her children but every mother has a soft spot for their youngest baby and she was no exception. Loosing Emma had been her downfall, and while she didn't become an alcoholic she did become severely depressed and even once tried to take her own life. It had been Elsa who found her after she swallowed all of those pills. Her middle child, was only ten years old when she found her mother overdosing. Elsa had always been so empathetic and in touch with other peoples emotions. She knew how much it hurt her mother to loose her little sister, and that's when she became angry. At first it was subtle, only ever around Christmas when Ingrid would put presents under the tree for Emma. Or if she got the girl a gift on her birthday. It was only after Phoebus pointed out the strain that her actions put on the two other girls that she decided that she needed to let go.

Jonathan had said on multiple occasions if she ever tried to contact Emma, he would fight for full custody of Kathryn and Elsa. That only came six weeks after her overdose, so she decided to sign away her rights and try to move on as best as she could.

"Mom, Cora's here!" Elsa called out to her mother, who frowned but went to go see her best friend.

"Hey, I'm sorry its been a while." Ingrid managed a small but sincere smile.

"I'll say, you never told me that he brought her back!" Cora cut straight to the chase as Ingrid's eyes widened.

"What?! H-How did you find out?" Ingrid stammered

"Well obviously not from you! I mean come on Midas." Cora scoffed putting her purse down.

"Jonathan passed away Cora, that's how Emma came back. I'm sorry but everything has been hectic around here." Ingrid admitted

"Yes I bet. However I want to know why is it that it's my daughter comforting yours right now. You would think the girl would need some mother's love right now. However don't worry yourself, we are going to get that bastard." Cora ranted

"What are you talking about?" Ingrid asked, harsher than she intended.

"She didn't tell you? Well this is awkward..." Cora trailed off

"Tell me what? What happened?" Ingrid questioned

"Emma was taken advantage of last night . She went out with an older male friend who got her drunk and high before having intercourse with her. She isn't of legal age to consent and he is at least five or six years older than her. Not to mention she couldn't consent because she wasn't sober." Cora answered

"What?" Elsa hissed from the doorway.

"Elsa honey, let me take care of this." Ingrid said firmly

"What? Hello no! You're telling me some grown man have sex with a teenager after he got her intoxicated and high, and you're just sitting here. Have you at least arrested the guy?" Elsa crossed her arms over her chest.

"Darling I understand your frustration, however I am not the police. I can't just arrest someone one, however I can try or defend them in the court of law. Emma insists she wasn't raped, and she has yet to file a police report. We either have to wait on her or you can file charges as her mother but that might drive a wedge between you two." Cora pointed out.

"It's not like they are on great terms anyways." Elsa mumbled, turning introverted after the comment. Sure she didn't really like Emma, and she didn't see the girl as a sister but nobody should ever have something like that happen to them. She couldn't even imagine how the girl must feel, and even the image of Zelena comforting her wasn't enough to draw anything but concern and worry for the blonde to the surface.

"I need to speak with her." Ingrid shook her head before gathering what she needed.

"I'm coming with you!" Elsa blurted out.

"Darling I don't think-"Ingrid started to protest.

"If you're going, then some am I. Hell we're both in the same boat with her." Elsa scowled.

"When we get there, I swear on all things holy if you start-" Ingrid was once again interrupted by her daughter.

"I'm not going to do or say anything, geez" Elsa exhaled deeply before going to find some shoes.

* * *

" _You're the other half of my heart that kept me going when I was ready to_

 _give up in that desert. You always looked at me like I was some sort of enigma, like I was your hero but baby girl I have to tell you that I'm nothing more than a man. We get weak sometimes, and sometimes life is bigger than the strength we have to get up off our knees. I hope that reading this you gain some closure. I'm sorry if I don't make it back home to you Lady Bug. I'm sorry that I'm not strong enough but I hope that you know most of all that I love you more than the air that I breath."_

Emma closed the notebook and tucked it safely back into her duffle bag, before pulling out a loose piece of paper and a pen. She just let the words come out and onto the page as she hummed.

" **She put him out, like the burning end of a midnight cigarette."**

" **She broke his heart, he spent his whole life trying to forget. "**

" **I watched him drink his pain away a little at a time. But he never could get drunk enough to get her off his mind. Until the night he put the bottle to his head and pulled the trigger."**

" **He finally drank away her memory. Life is short but this time it was bigger, than the strength he had to get up off his knees."**

Emma folded the little piece of paper into a triangle before sliding it in with several other dozens that she had written whenever she couldn't find the words to express herself. Silently she wondered how much her father had drank before he decided to kill himself. Her thoughts quickly turned to Zelena, she wondered how the auburn haired woman coped with everything she saw and experienced.

"Look Zelena, she's my kid! You were the one who said she was going to be safe!" She was surprised to hear Ingrid's voice muffled along with several others. When the shouting got louder, she went to investigate.

"What's going on?" Emma questioned, and once again nearly everyone accept for August and Tink was there looking at her.

"She knows about what happened." Zelena glared at her own mother when she spoke, before turning to catch Emma looking wide eyed at Ingrid.

"Look it's not that big of a deal you guys." Emma swallowed nervously, it felt like the walls were shifting on her.

"Yes it is. You may want to deny it now because that's easier than dealing with the feelings that come with accepting what happened but it is most certainly a big deal! Ingrid argued, but she tried not to raise her voice.

"Why do you even care?" Emma sighed

"I care because I'm your mother! I know I haven't exactly been an active parent in your life because of my own mistakes but that doesn't changed that fact that I carried you for ten months. I soothed every ache, fever and bruise for two years before I went and screwed up. It doesn't make me love you any less. My children are the air in my lungs and the fact that someone took advantage of you because of a situation that I allowed you to be put in numerous times burns me to my core." Ingrid's voice cracked as she finally admitted to her mistakes.

"Look I'm fine now, you don't have to worry about me." Emma bit her lip, but she couldn't look Ingrid in the eye. She didn't want to believe the words that Ingrid was saying but right now she was worn down.

"I'll always worry about you. Until my dying breath. That isn't going to change." Ingrid took two steps towards the blonde, and when the girl didn't move she continued.

"I understand that you hate me, that you are angry with me and you have every right to be. Just know if you need anything I'm here for you. As a friend or as a mother." Ingrid said softly, but Emma made no move to indicate she heard the words.

"I'm okay really. You all should just go on about your day." Emma cleared her throat, watching Ingrid nod before grabbing her things to leave. She had said what she could and when Emma was ready to pass her judgment she would have to take it..

 **AN: Special S/O to #1Supporter and Gravity in the Air! Thanks to everyone for sticking with the story and I can say now all of the dark stuff is pretty much out of the way. There will be some slight angst, some h/c and a lot of bonding coming up in the next few chapters. There are going to be several elements that are played out in song format. What Hurts the Most by Rascal Flatts is going to describe Emma+Her Dad's Relationship, Whiskey Lullaby by Brad Paisley is going to be Ingrid+John's relationship. The Scientist by Cold Play will be for Kathryn+Elsa+Emma's relationship and She will be Loved by Maroon 5 for Emma+Regina's relationship.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten- What Hurts the Most**

 **There are days every now and again I pretend, I'm okay...**

She was positively steaming after leaving Zelena's place. The defiant angry teen seemed to have vanished and instead in its place was a lost little girl. She knew that Emma would most likely be angry at what she was about to do, but as a mother she has a duty to protect her child. She couldn't take back what that man did to her daughter, but she could and would make sure he received the punishment he deserves. With that, she drove herself, Elsa and Cora down to the nearest police station. Paying for the meter, she pulled down her shades and followed her best friend into the building.

"Are you sure you want to do this now? Once we start, there is no going back." Cora warned.

"What is there to go back to? I'm dragging that asshole through the mud before everything is said and done. Just tell me if I need to find another lawyer." Ingrid snapped, glaring at the brunette who narrowed her eyes.

"I am choosing to let that slide because I know you are in a foul mood. Lets just go in there and get started." Cora said stiffly leading Elsa and her mother to the front desk.

"How may I help you?" The officer at the front desk looked at the trio suspiciously.

"I am here to file charges against my daughter's rapist." Ingrid replied in a cold voice. The officers eyes softened as he looked to Elsa.

"Um she isn't talking about me." Elsa cleared her throat nervously.

"My youngest daughter. She's sixteen." Ingrid clarified.

"Is she here right now?" The officer tried looking over her shoulder.

"No, she is currently at my daughter's home. She wasn't up to coming out of the house yet." Cora replied.

"Miss Mills, I'm surprised you aren't the one defending the bastard." The man glared at her in disgust, her reputation preceding her.

"Look here asshole-" Elsa stepped forward.

"Elsa dear, don't let them see you sweat." Cora whispered so the girl was the only one to hear her, physically pulling her goddaughter behind her.

"Like we were saying, her daughter is only sixteen. The man in question is at least twenty-two and he got the teen drunk and high before he took advantage of her." Cora continued.

"Okay, why don't we continue this in private. I believe the prosecutor and our lead detectives are free right now." The officer led them into an interrogation room, as another blonde and two brunettes came in after her.

"Hello, my name is Olivia Benson and this is my partner Elliot Stabler and our prosecutor Alex Cabet." The brunette woman introduced everyone.

"I believe you already know who I am, this is my client Ingrid Midas and her daughter Elsa. The victim in question is my clients sixteen year old daughter Emma Swan." Cora sat down regally, with Ingrid and Elsa following her lead.

"Can you tell us what you think happened, Mrs. Midas?" Elliot took out his notepad before he started jotting down some notes.

"My daughter was taken advantage of by someone she thought she could trust. I want the bastard behind bars." Ingrid responded, studying the male detective in front of her.

"Would you care to elaborate?" Elliot already seemed bored, almost as if he had heard the same tune one too many times.

"She went out with Neal Cassidy, he provided her with booze and illegal substances and then had sexual intercourse with her. The next day he tossed her aside like she was yesterdays trash." Ingrid ground her teeth out.

"Sounds to me like some kids got drunk . When he didn't give her the attention she wanted, she claims rape." Elliot spoke to Alex Cabet.

"Except where you missed the part where Neal Cassidy is twenty two. That's quite a jump in age don't you think Mr Stabler?" Cora bit out, as she leaned forward intimidatingly.

"...I-" Elliot went to speak but was cut off.

"Save it!" Ingrid glared at the man.

"Okay, is there any proof besides your daughter's statement on what happened?" Olivia interjected, seeing the whole her partner had just dug them into.

"The girl went to a clinic to get the morning after pill. They took several samples of blood, urine and semen. They are in route down here as we speak. Is that enough proof?" Cora raised an eyebrow.

"We are still going to need to speak with your daughter, Mrs. Midas." The ADA replied

"As long as he is nowhere near her, then that's fine. My lawyers will be in touch." Ingrid rose from her seat and left the room.

"You really shouldn't judge everyone before you hear there story. Or you should find another career. I would hate for this to happen to one of your daughters." Elsa looked at the older man who seemed to get defensive.

"I don't have kids." He lied

"Yeah you do, I seen the pictures on your desk. They are all close in age with my sister, they are blonde, roughly the same height and weight. Blueish green eyes, the list goes on. They both have fathers who served in our military, just too many similarities if you ask me. I'd catch him before he does it to yours." Elsa stood up and left with Cora following her.

"You know, you'd make one hell of a lawyer. Your attention to detail is impeccable." Cora complimented on their way out of the station. Ingrid was by the car smoking a cigarette, while rubbing her eyes in frustration.

"We have to tell Emma that we went through and filed charges. I don't want to blindside her." Ingrid spoke before taking another drag and flicking it away

"Yes dear, I think that's best." Cora nodded before heading around to the drivers side knowing that if Ingrid was smoking it meant she was too far on the edge.

* * *

Emma sat stiffly with her back pressed firmly against the wall, her eyes studying the brunette girl in front of her. Regina had been silent for the most part, which Emma was thankful for but she kept frowning looking down at her phone.

"Trouble in paradise?" Emma mused.

"That's really none of your business." Regina replied with a twinge of annoyance.

"Probably not but neither was the shit between me and Ingrid's any of yours. Or Neal." Emma shrugged, grinding her teeth before looking off to the side.

"Neal?" Regina questioned.

"Just drop it." Emma chewed out, hearing Regina sigh deeply.

"Tink and I had a bit of a disagreement. Now she's ignoring me." Regina admitted, and she could see Emma roll her eyes.

"Hmm." Emma hummed, she no longer wanted to hear about the other girl's problems and she could really bring herself to actually care about them.

"She thinks I should stay away from you. That you are far too dark and cynical to be around." Regina continued looking at the blonde for a reaction.

"Maybe she's right. I am cynical and far too tainted to be in the presence of Her Majesty. You should really listen to the pixie hair prepubescent teen fairy." Emma drawled out, her fingers twitching slightly. This always happened when she felt the need to smoke. She got angry quicker, and her body motions seems a bit jumpy.

"She's older than us both, so I hardly see the point in calling her young." Regina pointed out.

"Regardless of the fact, you and your girlfriend got into an argument about me. Instead of being with her to work through your problems, you're here with me. It not adding up for me." Emma licked her" chapped lips, as she began humming in her head.

"Well for starters, I disagree with her. You aren't dark or tainted." Regina started but was interrupted by Emma's snort.

"You don't know me. The only reason you are here is to psychoanalysis me, like I'm some sort of pet project." Emma responded.

"That isn't true." Regina denied, swallowing harshly.

"Isn't it?" Emma deadpanned, looking Regina straight in the eye.

"No I-" Regina tried to speak.

"You're saying I don't intrigue you...that you don't want to peel away my layers almost as much as you want to peel away my clothing." Emma smirked, crawling over to where the brunette sat before leaning back on her knees.

"I don't- What are you talking about?" Regina snapped, getting defensive.

"You don't think I see the way you've looked at me, the way you look at me. You don't think I didn't feel your fingers slide just underneath the waistband of my shorts that night I straddled you. Or how jealous you were when you found out I fucked someone else. Did you wish it was you?" Emma hissed, watching Regina's eyes widen. The brunette scrambled from where she had been sitting on the floor, her face turning angry.

"I don't know what the hell you are trying to prove, Emmalyn! I am not the one for games, so cut the bullshit!" Regina steamed, pointing her finger in Emma's face. The blonde simply cackled harshly, sinking to the ground where she was laying on her back.

"It get's you every time." Emma wiped her eye of a tear that had just fallen.

"What gets me?The way you turn everything sexual anything you don't want to talk about something?" Regina stuffed her feet into her boots, preparing to leave and go find her girlfriend.

"No, the way you fall for every advance at first. Until you catch yourself and you realize who and what you're actually flirting with." Emma curled her lips back in a devious smile.

"And that is?" Regina asked, nostrils flaring.

"A bitch." Emma chortled, watching Regina storm away.

* * *

Regina was absolutely livid, and not because what Emma had said but because the blonde had been right. She had been holding back from kissing the girl for so long because she was in a committed relationship, and she had naively assumed her girl crush would just go away. So she did what she did best, turn into the bitchiest person she could be.

She had rushed across town to Tink's apartment, hoping the older blonde would tamper down the flame that Emma seemed to ignite. Maybe if the lights were low enough, she could pretend that it was a different girl hoovering over her.

Walking up to the apartment complex, she was let in by the doorman as she separated Tink's key to let herself in. As soon as she stepped into the apartment, she knew deep down she wasn't going to like what she had stumbled into. A black leather jacket and a white button down shirt were right by the door and she nearly tripped over them on her way in. She could hear soft moans and skin slapping against skin as tears burned her eyes. Yet she willed herself to walk forward.

"Making a left turn, she saw the top of her girlfriends head but the twenty year old's face was pressed deep into the couch. Above her was a man she had recognized as Tink's neighbor, Killian Jones. Two swift swats met Tink's ass as the man pounded deep into her causing her to moan out. He just so happened to look up and catch Regina standing in the door way, clutching her keys in a death grip. Panicked, he slipped out of Tink before pulling his boxers up.

"What the fuck?!" Tink whined before she looked up at Regina too, going pale in the face.

"It's not what it looks like!" Tink cringed at the clique line. Regina simply nodded, watching Killian scramble to grab his clothes before he rushed out of the door.

"Regina I-" Tink could feel the tears well up in her eyes.

"Save it! I seen enough to know that you were a willing participant. Or are you going to tell me it was an accident and his dick just slipped into your cunt?" Regina seethed, walking around the couch watching Tink try to cover herself up. In a fit of rage, she swiped the crystal vase off the side table hearing it smash into several hundred pieces on the hard marble floor.

"It didn't mean anything, I swear!" Tink was breathing heavily, her bottom lip quivering.

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Regina scoffed, walking over to the girls wet bar. Neither of them were old enough to drink but money bought you things. Pouring herself a double shot of scotch, she down it in one go before turning quickly on her heels.

"You know what's funny? That I was sitting over there worrying about you not answering me, and you were out fucking the next guy. When Emma hit on me, and I badly wanted to take her up on her offer, I refrained because we were in a committed relationship and I felt you deserved so much more than me screwing her. The irony right?" Regina smirked humorlessly.

"It wasn't supposed to happen like that, I swear I didn't mean for it too! Tink protested, trying to keep from crumbling.

"I guess this is where I give you back your key and leave before I punch you in the face or burn down this place with you still in it." Regina snatched the fifty year old scotch off the wet bar before heading towards the door.

"Regina!" Tink rose, forgetting her naked state.

"Oh right, the key!" Regina clicked her teeth as she took the offending object off of her key ring before chucking it at the blonde.

"I guess I'll see you around." Regina shrugged, and spoke through gritted teeth. She didn't want the blonde to know how bad her actions had bruised her.

* * *

"You're back." Emma frowned, it was a statement but sounded more like a question.

"Obviously." Regina snapped, pushing her way pass Emma.

"Why?" The blonde shook her head but followed the obviously upset brunette.

"This is my sister house! I can be here." Regina sneered, watching Emma hold up her hands in surrender.

"Did something happen between you and Tink?" Emma furrowed her eyebrows, taking in the girls red rimmed glassy eyes, and the way her lip twitched when Emma said her name.

"She was fucking her neighbor. Is that enough information to satisfy your curiosity?" Regina slammed the bottle of scotch on the table, and Emma wondered how much she had drunk out of it. She didn't try to reply to the information she had just received. Knowing that there was nothing that was going to make Regina feel any better about the situation.

"Why don't you give me that bottle, and we can go sit down somewhere and talk?" Emma held out her hand for the liquor.

"Why should I? You got your night to drink and be stupid." Regina pouted

"Yeah and look where it got me! My life is shit right now, and I can't regret anything more than that night! I don't even remember what happened! I gave away my virginity to someone who didn't even give a damn about me! He fucked me without a condom, that could have ended up with me being a teen parent! I exposed myself to unnecessary sexual diseases, and all for what? Give me the damn bottle!" Emma physically snatched it out of Regina's already slack grip, sighing deeply as she walked over to the sink to dump out the alcohol.

"That isn't going to make you feel better. Sure it gives you a buzz so you don't feel as hurt but after it wears off your feel numb and empty." Emma leaned heavily on the sink, smelling the expensive alcohol at she had just poured away.

"I'm sorry, I should have said- "Regina started to apologize, her anger welling up with everything Emma had just told her.

"But you did. There's nothing we can do about it now, so you can either come with me and we can watch some corny movie or I can go find Zelena and she can deal with all of this." Emma waved her hand at the tipsy girl.

"I'd rather watch a movie with you." Regina mumbled quitely, watching Emma nod her head.

"Well come on then." Emma led the way down to her appointed room before grabbing the remote for the tv and the one for the dvd player. She slid into the bed and was surprised when Regina followed, curling up into her side.

"Why did she do it?" Regina whispered.

"Because she's a fucking idiot...and a whore." Emma replied instantly, causing Regina to laugh. While it was short and quite, it was still genuine, and this fact alone had Emma fighting a smile.

"Yeah, but it still hurts." Regina admitted watching Emma put on Brother Bear.

"hmm." Emma hummed, bringing her arm under the brunettes neck so she could bury her hand into her hair

"This isn't weird to you? The back and forth? We fight like cats and dogs." Regina mumbled

"It's because we are far to similar, neither of us wants to submit. We both can be assholes but right now that doesn't matter. You need someone to be there for you, and I-...I don't want to be alone anymore." Emma swallowed, hoping the brunette would just drop it. Her prayers were answered when Regina hummed, before wrapping her arm around her waist. There was nothing romantic about the embrace, but it brought them both comfort so that was all that mattered.

 **AN: I want to make them friends before deeper feelings develop. So far there is a bit of attraction on both sides. Let me know what you think.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven- What Hurts the Most**

 **But that's not what gets me,**

She sat in the dark listening to the blonde's heavy breathing. Emma had fell asleep before the movie was finished, and apparently her T.V was set up on an alarm because it turned off fifteen minutes after that. Regina really didn't feel like movie from the comfort of Emma's arms even as she heard Zelena's footsteps approaching. The light from the hallway immediately assaulted her dilated pupils as Zelena stepped into the room.

"I see you two kissed and made up." Zelena whispered, walking around the room to make sure the windows were locked. Despite being in a safe suburban area, she knew that the most breaking and entering along with burglary charges also happened there.

"I'm not in the mood for your shit Zelena." Regina grumbled back.

"Yes well the only reason I'm not telling mother about you drinking and driving is because I need you to do something for me." Zelena replied cryptically

"Oh yeah, like what?" Regina hissed, looking at Emma when she whined out. She ran her hand through the blonde's hair until she settled down.

"Well talk tomorrow. About all of this." Zelena looked at her sister pointedly, watching Regina nod before wrapping her arm around the sleeping blonde's waist.

"Okay." Regina mumbled closing her eyes.

It was between the hours of two and three in the morning that Regina was woken up by a swift hit to the nose. Blood gushed between her fingers as she squinted as if it would lessen the pain. She slipped out of the bed, trying not to stain the sheets as she watched Emma flail her arms and legs as if she was trying to escape something or someone. Quickly she rushed to the bathroom and grabbed a handful of Kleenex and pressing them to her bleeding nose. Walking back towards the bedroom, she could hear Emma's pained moans and frightened whimpers but now the teen was as still as a log. Against her better judgment, she shook Emma by the shoulder watching the blonde shoot up in a dazed state.

"DADDY PLEASE!" Emma clawed at her chest as if she couldn't breath, her panicked eyes never staying in one place.

"Honey you're okay. It's just me." Regina spoke softly, but wisely choose to give the blonde her personal space

"R'Gina?" Emma's voice was heavy with sleep.

"Yes darling, it's Regina." Regina smiled as best as she could around her tissue when she saw the cloudiness fade from green eyes.

"Shit! Did I do that to you?" Emma rubbed at her eyes roughly.

"It's alright, I'm fine." Regina assured her, throwing away the tissue when her nose was no longer bleeding.

"Are you sure? I'm so sorry." Emma bit down on her bottom lip.

"Emma I'm fine, it didn't even hurt that bad." Regina lied to make the girl feel better.

"Still I'm sorry...I think I was having a bad dream." Emma balled up the sheets in her hand.

"You think? I would say you were most certainly having a bad dream. Woul- Would you like to talk about it?" Regina asked softly,

"I think it was about that night but half of it didn't happen like that. At least not on that day." Emma murmured, but her concerned eyes never left Regina's bruised face.

"How about I clean up a bit more and I can make us some hot chocolate. My father used to do it for me and my sister whenever we were upset." Regina glanced down at her dirty hands.

"Okay." Emma's voice was barely above a whispered, as she glared down at her comforter. The dream had felt so real, like she was really back in Hopkins Minnesota. She could feel the coldness of the steel from when her father pressed the gun to her temple. Could smell his body washed mixed with the slight stench of sweat. She could taste the bile that had risen in her throat as she imagined how Jonathan looked standing above her. It was all too much, too fast and she could do nothing to stop the sob that tore through her.

"Emma?!" Regina rushed back into the room after drying off her hands, and she didn't hesitate wrapping the blonde up much like the girl did her earlier.

"Oh Honey..." Regina rubbed the younger teen's back until the door flew open.

"What happened?" Zelena looked around rapidly in a sleep filled daze.

"It's nothing, I've got this. Go back to sleep." Regina waved her sister off. She could feel Emma's nails biting into her shoulder from where the girl awkwardly clung to her as she gently rocked them. It was fifteen minutes later when she realized Emma had fallen asleep against her, still hiccuping slightly. For some reason she couldn't bring herself to immediately stop rocking the blonde but she figured if she did and Emma woke up again, it would take a lot more to get her settled for the third time.

"You aren't going to be alone any more. You have me, Lena, your sisters and even our moms. You have a family if you'd just let us in." Regina whispered.

 **The Next Morning***

Kathryn was furiously brushing her teeth as Elsa went about getting her things ready for a shower. There were enough rooms in their house that everybody and several guest could have their own bathroom but it was significantly easier to just have to clean and stock one. They had always shared everything when they were younger and even now.

"What are your plans for today?" Kathryn asked, spitting some toothpaste into the sink. Her and Elsa's relationship had been strained ever since finding out that Emma was coming to stay with them. They were barely able to have a civilized conversation but Kathryn wanted to talk.

"I dunno, maybe drive around for a bit. See if Anne wants to do anything today. Maybe drive by and see Regina, I heard she's going to be at Lena's." Elsa shrugged.

"Are you going to see Regina or Zelena?" Kathryn raised an eyebrow before using some mouth wash. Elsa visibly froze up while stammering for a reply.

'I-I don't know what you're talking about." Elsa lied horribly.

"You mean you don't recall sneaking around with _my_ best friend? Stealing kisses and such? Promising to U-Haul and run away to pop out little carrot top babies?" Kathryn wagged her eyebrows, watching Elsa flush in embarrassment.

"Stop okay. It ended before it even started anyways." Elsa shook her head, while violently setting down her shampoo and conditioner in the caddy.

"And why is that?" Kathryn questioned, wanting to hear Elsa's side.

"She said she didn't like the person I am or the one that I'm becoming. She stopped answering my texts and calls, honestly I think that the novelty of sneaking around with her best friends little sister wore off." Elsa answered bitterly, causing her sister to tsk at her.

"Or maybe she really likes you but she saw you being bitchy to a vulnerable person. For the past couple of weeks you have been angry and snappy, down right nasty to some of the people who really care for you. All I can say is you better fix it because she isn't going to wait for you for too much longer. You want to date an older woman? You have to act mature. The shit going on between you and Emma really isn't going to help your case. They understand each other in a way that nobody else here can." Kathryn used a clean wash cloth to wipe her face.

"I don't know how to fix it." Elsa admitted

"Well good thing you have me!" Kathryn clapped her hands in an excited gesture.

"Yeah but you haven't been in a relationship for so long. I mean are you and Fredrick still together?" Elsa exclaimed looking at her sisters now sour expression.

"Fredrick and I have different views on what we want in life. It was a mutual decision for us to part ways." Kathryn sniffed.

"God, your starting to sound like Cora. I'm going to need to rethink that internship if that's what I have to look forward to." Elsa sucked her teeth.

"Whatever, besides I've already found me a much hotter replacement. You know Graham? The scruffy guy who owns the juice bar by Mom's gym? He's taking me out on Saturday!" Kathryn grinned widely

"He's hot." Elsa smiled when she remembered the buff guy that make her smoothies.

"I'll say!" Kathryn wholeheartedly agreed

"So what am I going to do about Lena?" Elsa was wringing her hands together, a Midas nervous trait.

"You my dear little sister, are going to have to woo the Wicked Bitch. I mean witch." Kathryn chuckled at her own joke.

"Woo, woo...I can do that! I mean she loved corn dogs and chili cheese fries and the fair is in town. I can just take her there!" Elsa said, her thoughts running away from her

"Had it been any other female in the world, I would say fried hot dogs and arty clogging fries wouldn't help you in the slightest but we are talking about Zelena..." Kathryn braided her hair down the side before throwing it over her shoulder.

"Kat did you hear mom and dad arguing last night?" Elsa worried her bottom lip with her teeth.

"Of course I did, I think even the dead heard them." Kathryn scoffed before turning to face her sister.

"They have been arguing for the longest." Elsa replied.

"That's what couples do when they have been together for so long, don't worry. They are going to be fine." Kathryn exhaled sharply.

"I don't know...some of the things they said yesterday. Mom said he was trying to turn her into an alcoholic by pacifying her with alcohol and he came back with she was already one. That it was like giving a fussy baby a bottle so they would shut up. She blamed him for ruining her life and he said it was her fault Emma was in the pool that day, and then it got real quiet."

"People say things they don't mean in the heat of the moment." Kathryn responded

"Yeah but you can't take back something like that. They both opened up old wounds that "I'm sorry" isn't going to fix." Elsa pointed out.

"Look I don't know what to tell you, I'm just as lost. Right now we have to let them sort through their own problems. You should worry about fixing things with Zelena, and if she ever decides to talk to you Emma. Regardless of whatever jealous or anger you're harboring, you've been directing it at the wrong person and she doesn't need to deal with your bullshit on top of everything else. She's only sixteen Ellie."

"I know! It's just- its so hard to go from hating a ghost for so long and now they are right in front of you! You think I don't know that its irrational? That its wrong? If Emma would have never gotten into that pool, maybe he would have stayed! But she was only a baby and I'm torn between hating her and Jonathan and Mom. I can't hate Mom, Kat! You weren't there when I found her! I thought my mother was dead and it was because he pushed her to that point!" Elsa blurted out, when she was done her chest was heaving.

"You don't have to hate Mom, Ellie. But you should be angry with her. She isn't going to disappear if you finally say that she let you down, that she hurt you with her actions. She needs to hear it, and you need to say it. You can't keep it in. Don't conceal it, don't try not to feel it or your going to explode." Kathryn brushed some tangled light blonde locks over her sister's shoulders. The hair color had been inherited from their father while her and Emma got Ingrid's darker blonde.

"I will, it's just gonna take some time...I don't want to hurt her." Elsa whispered

"I know, I know..." Kathryn hugged her tightly, trying to find someway to comfort the distraught teen.

 **AN: Short but I have a couple of days off soon so it might be updated again this week**


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve- What Hurts the Most**

" **What Hurts the Most, was being so close..."**

Emma blushed deeply when she woke up wrapped in Regina's arms, briefly remembering her breaking down after her nightmare. The brunette girl still sported a reddish bruise on her nose from where she had accidentally struck her, but Emma made no move to break their embrace.

"Your staring is quite unnerving." Regina mumbled, fingers flexing slightly from where they rested on Emma's hips. Plump lips that were normally painted some red or purple hue, were now bare and Emma fought the urge to run her finger along them.

"I'm not staring, I blink every couple of seconds or so." Emma replied back in a husky tone, not missing the way Regina shuddered slightly.

"Is that so?" Regina raised an eyebrow with her eyes still closed. It looked like a very difficult task that she seemed to pull off flawlessly.

"Mmhmm." Emma hummed, settling back down. She could feel Regina's nimble fingers slip under the waistband of her shorts but didn't protest the movement.

"You're soooo warm." Regina purred into her ear, wrapping a leg across Emma's waist from where the girl was half laying on her. Her hands moved from underneath Emma's waistband, to under her baggy shirt as her fingers explored the warm flesh of Emma's back. Testing the waters a bit, she shot her hand up farther, not coming into contact with a bra strap. It was then she realized that the soft squishy feeling on her chest was Emma's breasts.

"And you're very frisky." Emma remarked. She could feel Regina tense up as her hands froze on her back from where they had been roaming.

"Is this too much? I can't believe you are even letting me touch you after-" Regina shook her head trailing off.

"I mean , we're not fucking or anything. And you don't touch me like how he did." Emma replied in a soft tone.

"You remember?" Regina asked, recalling the girl saying she didn't remember what happened.

"Bits and pieces, I remember my feelings more than anything else. His touch felt heavy, it felt like I was trapped. Well I don't think trapped is the right word...Look all I know is that you wouldn't take it farther than I would want it to go. Neither of us are ready for physical relations, you just got out of a relationship. However I see nothing wrong with a little cuddling." Emma rambled.

"If you're sure..." Regina tone was unsure.

"I am." Emma buried her face into Regina's neck, inhaling the lingering scent of her perfume from yesterday.

"LOOK I KNOW SHE'S HERE! I JUST WANT TO TALK TO HER!" The clicking of heels clattered down the hallway. Both girls were too drowsy to realize what was happening until the door flew into the wall.

"So this is how it is?" Tink scoffed wetly, watching Emma move Regina's leg off of her before crawling into a sitting position.

"What are you doing here?" Regina glared at the blonde, pulling down the back of Emma's shirt from where she had bunched it up.

"I came here to try to talk and work things out with you. Yet I see you rolled into the sack with some fast ass little girl who spreads her legs easier than I can't believe its not butter!" Tink bit out, her face a bright red. Whether it was out of frustration or embarrassment, Regina didn't know and she most certainly didn't care.

"Excuse me? I found you face down ass up fucking your neighbor! Emma isn't a slut and we didn't have sex either! Get the fuck out!" Regina spat, jumping off the bed.

"Tink I think you should go." Zelena gritted out from the doorway.

"I think since you already have it programmed into your GPS, you should take your sister down to that clinic because there is no telling what she caught from that bit-" Tink's sentence was cut off by Regina punching her in the face. However the brunette didn't stop after one punch, she pushed the older blonde to the ground straddling her waist as her fingers snatched at handfuls of hair.

"REGINA!" Zelena quickly separated the two of them, watching Tink scramble to her feet. The blonde wiped a trickle of blood off her lip as she looked at her fuming ex.

"That's how it is?" Tink scoffed before stalking out of the door.

"Regina what the hell is the matter with you?" Zelena scolded, checking her sister's knuckles for damage.

"Are you kidding me? I'm just supposed to sit here and listen to her talk about me and Emma that way?" Regina snatched her hand away before turning to look at a deadpanned Emma.

"Are you okay?" Regina asked.

"Chick fights are kinda hot." Emma nodded her head, before looking down at her hands causing Regina to frown.

"Something is bothering you." Regina sighed deeply, her hands shaking from punching Tink.

"Something is always bothering me." Emma drawled out.

"Well are you going to tell me or keep it a secret?" Regina frowned when all she received was a shrug.

"Well I don't have anything planned for today, I'm going back to sleep." Regina grumbled, paddling her way back over to the bed.

"You're gonna go to sleep like you didn't just physically fight with your girlfriend?" Emma's eyes widened.

"That's because I didn't. Like you said, I just got out of a relationship. Now the question is, are you going to join me or are you going to cocoon yourself into the blankets?" Regina yawned.

"This doesn't feel real." Emma mumbled, but still slithered her way down from where she was sitting against the head board.

"What do you mean?" Regina yawned.

"Everything just feels numb, like its not really happening to me but I'm witnessing it all...Is that normal?" Emma asked, stretching out slightly.

"If you want my honest opinion, then the answer is no. You should be feeling a whirlwind of emotions right now, not nothing at all...Have you ever thought about talking to someone?" Regina questioned, turning on her side to face the blonde.

"You mean like a shrink? I'm not crazy!" Emma protested.

"I'm not saying that you are. However you have gone through some traumatic experiences in the last month or so. It wouldn't hurt to talk to someone about what your feeling." Regina amended, not wanting to offend the younger girl.

"I'm talking to you about it right now." Emma pointed out.

"Emma, you owe it to yourself to speak with someone that can explain what you're feeling. You've said on numerous occasions that you feel like I'm here to analyze you like some pet project and I'm not. As your friend I want to see you get better" Regina replied watching Emma mull it over.

"You know my dad never wanted to talk about what he was feeling. If he was sad he turned to Gin, if he was angry he turned to Whiskey, if he wanted to forget he turned to Tequila and if he was happy he'd go for Vodka. He didn't cry much either, but he cried that night before I went to bed. When he gets like that- when he got like that," Emma corrected herself before stopping for a moment.

"When he got like that I tried to make myself scarce. Cowardly I know, but I didn't want to see this strong larger than life guy break down. I don't think I could have handled it. Yet I wonder if I had stayed and talked to him would he have felt his life was worth living. Would he have done what he did?" Emma admitted, tears prickling her eyes

"You're going to eat yourself alive wondering about the what ifs. Your father was very troubled, and he sought comfort in a bottle. Something we both have done before, but I believe his problems started long before he picked up any alcohol." Regina spoke carefully, knowing she was walking a fine line.

"I suppose that's just a hard pill to swallow." Emma's tone was stiff, and she could feel Regina rubbing soothing circles on her lower back.

"He was your hero." Regina pointed out.

"We found him with his face down in the ground. Clinging to her picture for dear life." Intense green eyes peered into brown, and Regina swallowed harshly at the range of emotions that painted a bittersweet canvas.

"When we buried him beneath the willow, the angels sang a whiskey lullaby." The detached tone the blonde used was what made Regina break the stare down as she gasped for air, not realizing she had been holding her breath. Emma chuckled humorlessly, before climbing out of the bed.

"God I need a hit!" Emma exclaimed, pulling her hair as she began pacing back and forth.

"A hit of what?" Regina frowned, wondering what narcotics the blonde had been using to false cope.

"Nothing serious like crack or anything. I just smoke a little trees every now and again." Emma shrugged, bringing her hand to her mouth as she began biting down her nails.

"Weed is a gateway drug. One day its not going to give you the high that you're looking for and then you go looking for something stronger." Regina replied, watching Emma's gittery reactions.

"So you're telling me you've never experienced the pleasure of a little Mary J?" Emma raised an eyebrow.

"I never said that, however I felt like the moment called for one of those Just say No commercials." Regina's response caused Emma's lips to quirk in a slight smile.

"Little Miss Goody Goody smokes a little reefer. Watch out y'all, we got us a bad ass!" Emma teased, making a little whipping sound

"Oh shut up! I was just saying that I did it before. Long before I found better ways of relieving my stress." Regina drawled out, stretching her back in the bed until she heard a distinctive crack.

"So what do you do?" Emma asked intrigued.

"Me personally, I crave skin to skin contact. Cuddling if you will." Regina's eyes twinkled with a hidden innuendo.

"Cuddling?" Emma asked in an uninterested tone.

"You didn't have a problem cuddling a few moments ago." Regina scoffed

"Well I mean if its skin to skin cuddling, I'm in." Emma smirked, but Regina knew the words were in a joking context.

"Hmm my favorite is a massage. Giving and receiving. There is something to be said about loosing yourself in making your significant other feel good without having sex." Regina commented

"Did you and Tink give each other massages often?" Emma asked, her pacing had now completely stopped and Regina silently cheered herself for taking the blonde's mind off of her own traumatic experiences.

"No, she was more into fucking. To her it was a better stress reliever. I prefer something a little more intimate." Regina responded honestly, patting a spot on the bed waiting for Emma to climb back over.

"More intimate than fucking?" Emma asked in disbelief, but still sitting in the spot that Regina had asked her to.

"Fucking isn't intimate. Its primal, something that animals do to either assert dominance or to mark their territory. The emotions that come with it are simply fleeting. The art of making love is what separates us as homosapiens. You only do it when you find someone you have a genuine connection with, someone you don't want to live without. The emotions that come with making love do not apply to a check list and they are very broad. Making love is intimate, but it doesn't necessarily mean you have to have intercourse. You can make love by giving your significant other a massage, helping work through those stress knots until they fully submit to you mind body and soul." Regina finished, licking her now chapped lips as she took in Emma's dilated pupils. The blonde blinked harshly before she cleared her throat.

"Sounds to me like you thought about this often." Emma's cheeks were burning and she knew the pale flesh was most likely red.

"Hmm, I've thought about what I want often. What I'm looking for in a woman." Regina chuckled deeply.

"So why did you settle for Tink?" Emma furrowed her eyebrows.

"She chased after me for four months before I even gave her the time of day. She was sweet if not a bit of a flirt. The sex was decent, I learned some very interesting things from her." Regina shrugged.

"Was she your first?" Emma asked, knowing she was now blushing from her cheeks to her neck.

"For some things. I had another girlfriend before her whom I gave myself to. Tall with legs that went on for miles, great smile, blonde with light blue eyes." Regina smirked at the memory.

"Seems like you have a type." Emma muttered, watching Regina narrow her eyes slightly.

"Perhaps." The brunette replied cheekily

"What happened to her?" Emma wondered

"She moved away, has a kid now. Go figure." Regina rolled her eyes.

"How old is she?" Emma crinkled her nose adorably.

"Twenty, I normally like them a bit older than myself." Regina answered

"Normally?" Emma questioned, watching Regina's eyes snapped back to her.

"Yes. Normally." The brunette mused before closing her eyes in an effort to go to sleep.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Emma wanted to hear Regina say it out loud

"Go to sleep Ms. Swan." Regina mumbled.

 **AN: To address some concerns with the story, I'm choosing to answer the questions via AN and if you have any other concerns feel free to PM on this account or Nasty Nikolo its up to you.**

 **This story isn't about just Regina Emma and Ingrid. Every character has a part in it, and their interactions are very important. While I feel that the Swan Queen relationship is a bit slow burnish in this particular fic, I feel like their friendship should come first to build a foundation for their romantic relationship. Not everybody is going to like everything that happens, but please know it is all happening for a reason.**

 **I would also like to apologize for any grammar mistakes or spelling or if I get anything incorrect because I try my best to research American customs but everything on the internet is not correct. Most people know and understand that English is my third language and I suffer from dyslexia so everything will not be perfect with any of my stories. I just ask that you be patience with me or you just stop reading because the hurtful comments really can bring a person down. Lastly if you are choosing to leave hurtful comments but leave nothing about the story they will be deleted.**

 **Thank you all -Nasty Nik/TokuBasileia**


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen- What Hurts the Most**

 **And having so much to say, and watching you walk away...**

Regina was laying on her chest with her head planted in between her breasts. The brunette was dead to the world and the only sounds that filled the air were her soft snores and Emma's raging thoughts. She realized that at some point, Regina had lied to her. Either when she claimed she was a virgin while calling her a whore for sleeping with Neal, or when she said she had sex with Tink. Either way the knowledge left a sour taste in her mouth but she pushed that down as she ran her hand through Regina's tangled hair. She thought about what the older teen had told her, about talking to someone but she really didn't see how that could help. Talking wouldn't bring back her father, it wouldn't take away the fact that she now had Ingrid in her life wanting to be her mother when she gave up that right several years ago. It certainly wouldn't change the fact that she had a sister who absolutely hates her with every fiber in her being and had no problem voicing it. Or the fact that Ingrid's husband was a little opinionated bastard who thought that he was a God or something. It wouldn't change the fact that she was hurt that she opened herself up to Neal only to have him throw her on her ass. Talking wouldnt change any of that, so what was the point?

"Do you want me to move?" Regina yawned, her voice raspy from disuse.

"You're fine." Emma murmured, the hand that was resting on the Latina's hip's tightened briefly before easing up.

"What has you all tense this morning?" Regina wrapped her arms tightly around the blonde's waist.

"Just thinking about something you said...before you told me you were a virgin and then yesterday..." Emma trailed off.

"Yesterday I told you I slept with Tink." Regina finished, feeling Emma nod.

"I didn't lie to you yesterday. I'm not a virgin. Technically speaking I lost my virginity to my girlfriend Danielle several years ago. I have had intercourse with Tink also...I was angry I guess. Maybe even a little jealous because every time we talked you seemed interested in me. But you went out with him." Regina admitted.

"That had nothing to do with me liking you or not. It had everything to do with the fact that I just needed to let go for a couple of hours. I never though that it would go that far." Emma replied in a soft tone.

"If I ever see that fucker, I'm going to rip off his dick for what he did to you!" Regina growled causing Emma to chuckle.

"...your mom. She filed charges but I don't think its going to go anywhere. I don't want to sit through a trail and tell people about how hazy that night was. I don't want to look at them judge me without knowing what I was going through. I honestly thought he was my friend. He seemed nice, and he was one of the first people that called me after my dad passed." Emma responded her eyes misting.

"I understand you not wanting to go through a trial but Emma, what if he does this again to some other girl?! He needs to be held accountable. You're only sixteen and he's twenty-three, either way that's statutory rape! Not to mention and intoxicated person can't give consent!" Regina pointed out while sitting up

"I know..." Emma relented

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get so wound up. Just the thought of him touching you make me angry. The fact that he took advantage of you in such an emotional time pisses me off to no end!" Regina admitted, tugging on her hair.

"Do you want to go to the Ice Plex?" Emma asked after a moment, watching Regina reel back at the sudden change in topics

"What?" Regina frowned in confusion

"Do you want to go to the Ice Plex? The indoor one downtown? Whenever I needed a break, I'd go to the Ice Plex with Ruby and we'd stay for hours before grabbing a pizza or something. It's fun..." Emma bit her bottom lip.

"Who is Ruby?" Regina asked with furrowed eyebrows.

"She's my best friend, her mother fought with my father on all three of his tours. She stays with her Grams while her mom is away but we've always stayed in contact with each other." Emma replied, slipping out of the bed in search of some clothes.

"I don't know how to ice skate." Regina admitted after a moment.

"I didn't at first either, but if you can balance you'll catch on easily." Emma shrugged, pulling out a pair of cashmere knit leggings and an over sized clinched hoodie to match. Going into the drawer next to it, she pulled out a cami and what looked like a matching lace white bra and panty set. Regina blushed before looking away but she couldn't get the picture of Emma Swan in nothing but those undergarments.

"If I fall on my ass, I'm blaming you." Regina warned.

"Ruby always said that falling down teaches you that you have to be the one to pick yourself back up. If someone else tries to help you, you'll end up pulling them down with you and now your both stuck." Emma remarked before heading towards the bathroom.

"She sounds like a very enlightened individual." Regina commented, before pulling herself out of the bed.

"Aren't we all?" Emma asked ruefully before closing the door. Regina padded her way down the hall but the voices in the living room brought her from her journey to her room.

"I'm trying to apologize but all you're giving me is your ass to kiss!" Elsa's yelled her face beat red as Zelena shook her head in disbelief.

"That's because your apologizing to the wrong person! Yes you hurt me with the way that you are acting but you hurt your little sister far worse! And you refuse to admit you are wrong. You've tried to make her life a living hell since she came here and if you can't see that then you wasted a trip down here!." Zelena shot back as Regina watched on confused. Why did this seem like a lovers quarrel?

"I just need some time! You can't expect me to just walk up to her and apologize when I'm not sure if I can give her a genuine one right now! You didn't give a damn about me and how I was feeling! I honestly think you have been fucking a much younger Midas at this point!" Elsa hissed, her jealousy shining through as Regina's eyes bulged.

"Did you really just say that to me? I wouldn't touch Emma like that with a ten foot pole! She is like a little sister to me! How could you even say that? You know how I feel about you!" Zelena gritted out.

"Yes well you don't show it! Anything she needs you're there for her, but when I needed you- you wouldn't even come to me!" Elsa exclaimed

"I'm there for her because of how you made her feel! She didn't have anybody when she came her, the poor girl had just lost her father and you treated her like shit!" Zelena's eyes were wide as if that would make the blonde understand her.

"Like I said, its like she's the one who gave herself to you! So just let me know if you've traded me in for a newer model." Elsa crossed her arms over her chest watching Zelena's eyes flash and her nostrils extends her she breathed shakily through her nose. The red head closed the distance between them and pulled Elsa flush to her chest by her shirt before slanting her mouth over the slightly shorter girl's.

"OH MY GOD!" Regina gasped watching them break apart quickly.

"Regina?!" Elsa moved to wipe her mouth.

"You two- you are-? You slept with your best friend's little sister?" Regina asked slack jawed as she stared between the two.

"You couldn't tell?" Emma mused, rubbing lotion into her hands as she walked into the room fully dressed.

"You knew?" Regina turned to the youngest occupant in the room.

"I thought everyone knew. They aren't very good at hiding their emotions." Emma chuckled before walking over to the cabinet and grabbing a raspberry Pop Tart.

"How did you know?" Zelena asked crossing her arms across her chest.

"Easy, both of you look at each other when you think the other one isn't looking. You choose to sit net to each other during everything, and your were holding each others hand when I first met you. On top of all of that, she wanted me out of her house but she didn't want me here. I only confirmed it when Kathryn came over to talk to you." Emma shrugged, taking one of the pastries out and passing the package to Regina who murmured her thanks.

"What about you two? You both practically act like you're married!" Zelena pouted causing Emma to chuckle slightly

"We're friends. Besides we haven't even kissed and I believe that's what you just got caught doing. Purple really isn't your color, Lena." Emma grinned.

"Yet." Zelena muttered under her breath.

"What?" Regina asked around a mouthful of pop tart.

"You haven't kissed yet. But I know you so want to." Zelena teased watching Regina flush red.

"Regina go get dressed so we can go!" Emma urged, wanting to get as far away as possible from the teasing. Regina nodded before hurrying out of the kitchen.

"Emma...can we talk?" Elsa fidgeted on spot.

"Not right now. We can talk when you're ready not because somebody is forcing you to try to like me." Emma vetoed the idea watching Elsa sag in relief.

"Emma-" Zelena went to talk but the blonde shook her head.

"No Lena, you can't force this. Me and her weren't raised as sisters, you can't expect her to treat me like one." Emma interrupted her

"I just-" Zelena tried again.

"No, it's fine really. Don't let whatever is happening with me stress you so much." Emma replied, watching Regina walk in.

"You ready?" The brunette asked, grabbing her car keys.

"Yep." Emma nodded, dusting off her hands before following Regina out.


End file.
